Afterhours in the Afterlife
by skullwings
Summary: Before, all I thought about was moving up the ladder to become captain of the Resistance army. Maybe I was a bit narrow-minded then. But all that got screwed when I got taken by the same force I was fighting against—the Regime. Things are happening to me and my body, that I can't make sense of. But I think she could help. She might be my only chance. (AU ; TerAqua)
1. Bad Moon Rising

_I see a bad moon arising.  
__I see trouble on the way.  
__I see earthquakes and lightning.  
__I see bad times today.  
__Don't go around tonight.  
__It's bound to take your life.  
__There's a bad moon on the rise_

* * *

_Throughout most of my life, I was brought up to act first and ask questions later. In the world I lived in, I had no problem doing just that-if you weren't careful, you would be swallowed up by the shadows and never seen again-which is why you have to stay in the light. If you strayed, there was no telling what would happen. That's where I come in. See, my job is to fight back against the corruption in this city. I knew this place before it was tainted. Up until the sea of black coats invaded, people thrived without fear or having to live in the shadows. They weren't supposed to happen. But they did, and turned this place into the hellhole it is today._

_This motivated me to join the Resistance, the force fighting the darkness in my town, who also wanted to expel the darkness that didn't belong here.. For years, I trained, bled, sweat, and did anything possible to become powerful enough to fight on the lines wearing the Resistance's armor. I made a promise to myself years ago which I've kept 'til this day, and that was to become strong enough to protect people. I failed one time, and I was set on not letting that happen again. In the past five years, I grew from a boy with only a wooden sword (albeit very rough and prone to splinters) to the lieutenant of the Resistance's third division. Not bad, right? My name is Terra, and back then, all that was on my mind was becoming captain-the next tier. __All my life all I had done was to act first, but the asking questions part of my one page internal manual had been sneakily placed on the back side of the paper. Unfortunately (or I guess), I forgot to check that part. __I didn't know it then, but in time, all of those questions I should have asked myself would catch up with me soon enough._

* * *

"Terra!"

Another reason why I couldn't think of questions to ask was that my captain kept shoving his duties down my throat half of the time.

"Terra!"

"I heard you, Xigbar!" My voice projected through the walls, and anyone that was asleep before was sure as hell awake now.

"Then get your ass out here already! The Major wants a word with you."

Within the walls of my barracks, I couldn't tell what time it was. You never could. It was just as dark inside these barracks as it was outside. It was almost as if my gloomy barracks suffered from the same plague of eternal night as the city we occupied. The city was part of a territory called "The Land that Never Was" and it was a the epicenter for all of the darkness. Bleak, ominous buildings lurched over you wherever you went, with their eerie, phosphorescent eyes noting your every move from every possible angle: the skies, and buildings you passed, and the shadows in the streets. The darkness was there. It tainted each and every crevice, crossroad, and creature in that realm.

When I referred to the "darkness", I'm not only referring to the spooky things that go bunk in the night, but where it all comes from-the organization that rules the very city I'm stationed in. Though they claimed (and appointed) themselves to be the government, there wasn't actually any democracy. It was more of an oligarchy, with a group of corrupt, yet powerful men in charge. These same men were responsible for plaguing the land, and countless others under the rule of the iron fist. Part of the Resistance's goal was to cut the reins and set these tyrannized lands free; but their numbers matched ours, and the resources available to us were but a mere cut of what they had. That didn't stop us, though. If anything, it was all the more reason to take back what rightfully belonged to us.

My superior (the Major) was a woman named Fran who was in charge of the entire third division. Although she's a mystery and can come off as the stoic type (my own thoughts personally when I first met her), rumors say that she once took on an entire airship. Another one says that she abandoned her home because she didn't want to stand idly as the world wasted away by the same, filthy hands that took over this land. All I knew was that there was a lot I didn't know about her, but I didn't mind not knowing. However, what _did _surprise me was the fact that she called for me. I was typically assigned to missions that involved raids or ones that required a lot of manpower. If you weren't one of the elite officers, and the head of your division summoned you, something was up.

And on such an occasion, you would have to be in full armor, with exception of your headgear. It's a stupid rule, which is more like a social more, but it's more or less part of the tradition and culture we have here. Out of respect, I suppose. The only reason why it was such a dumb tradition was that the armor was too much time and a hassle to clean. It would take hours upon hours to clean that damn carapace. It was a beaut when it was in top shape (which I've yet to witness), but maintaining its perfect condition was more trouble than it was worth. In the city, it rained. Actually, it'd be more correct to say that you would take a full-blown bath every time you stepped outside. Rust would get on the armor, and to find time to clean it afterwards was so aggravating. So I didn't. Putting on the armor wouldn't be so much of a inconvenience if it weren't for the knicks and scratches you would get from putting it on, and the shrieking of the corroded parts moving from it not being cleaned. Hell, I was surprised people weren't screeching about hemorrhages because of it. Rather a dorm hall than a barrack, the men scattered around the cantonment howled for the shrill, screeching sound to stop.

_"What the hell?!"_

_ "Aurgh!"_

_ "Goddammit, Lieutenant!"_

_ "Terra, what the fuck?!"_

Now, keep in mind that some of these soldiers were men who had probably finished missions a couple of hours ago and were too exhausted to murder me. I wasn't fazed a bit; I found it outrageously hilarious that they were screeching like felines then. The only one who had managed to sleep through it all was Zack, my roommate, and a guy a little over my age, but he was only here because the other divisions didn't have any more room, so he's not important now. What's important is what happened next.

"Good morning, third division!" My ample set of lungs were hearty enough to bellow all the way down the hall. Anyone that wasn't Zack could have possibly been asleep then. "This is a wake-up call! Normally, such procedures are for the children, but since your buddy Vaan disobeyed our theft policy again, you all should thank him for the extra hour of sunshine later." I found that being sarcastic was more rewarding than losing my voice from yelling. While I didn't hesitate to do the latter, psychological effects could really mess with a guy's head. Most of the combat-soldiers weren't so sharp, really; casters typically quipped back with a wittier response, so I didn't bother tackling _them _on.

"You know they don't have to get up for another hour, right?" Xigbar spoke over my shoulder, but he reviled in their punishment just as much as I did.

"I know. I just wanted to let Vaan personally know that I was onto him. Everything he touches has to be his-it's like the kid is off on a mission to be the world's biggest klepto. Might do him good if he lost a hand or two."

Deeper chuckles busted from the captain's throat at my sadism. It gradually died as men began to rise and exit their rooms. He eyed them warily before turning to me. "You go on ahead. I'll watch them."

"Since when are you willing to lend a hand, Xigbar?"

"It's _captain, _you shit." That bizarre shade of gold sneered at me before it rolled. "Go on and get-the Major is expecting you."

As suspicious as Xigbar's sudden kindness was, I didn't have time to question it. Instead, I made my way to the Major's quarters. The interesting thing about our division is that we were completely cut off from the city if the path to it wasn't up. Fran came from a place where only people from her land could enter-there was some inclusive knowledge they had for putting up the path. To put in perspective: if you were a regular denizen of the city, you would walk right past the gate without even realizing it. That's part of the caster side of our division, to keep our hideout safe from the wary eyes of our enemy. Some of the soldiers that were exclusive to only combat would need a caster to help them find the portal to our barracks. From what I've heard, the casters have to change the location of the portal up frequently so we couldn't be tracked down. Do _not _ask me how that whole scheme works, because I couldn't even begin to try to explain it. Magic was a whole different creature that I would probably never get acquainted with. Nor did I really _want _to get acquainted with it.

The magic didn't affect the infrastructure of our base. It was used like a veil to conceal us for protection, and give us the element of surprise. The barracks were located at the lowest floors, for emergency deployment. Then, elite officers had their offices and living quarters above them. At the top tier was where the commander of the third division, Fran, and her quarters were. I was fidgety on the ride up the pulley, and I tried to get rid of the nerves with small stretches on the way to Fran's domicile.

Before I arrived, I could smell the floor before I even saw it-but it was pleasantly strange. When the doors opened, I recognized it: _life. _The entire floor was covered in greenery and fauna. I had never seen so much life in this entire region! It was like she was hoarding it all for herself! On her floor, I was like a dumbfounded child whose senses were overstimulated. Having been accustomed to grey walls everywhere I turned, the smell of smog in the air, night, and downpour everyday, I wasn't prepared to see a color other than black or grey or anything in between! I'm not _stupid; _I know what greens and blues looked like, but only on the neon signs of the city. While I wasn't completely ignorant (I _knew _this kind of life thrived on places other than this land), I was merely surprised to see life in a place like this.

I entered out of the elevator, and took off my helmet to breathe it all in. Childish, but I couldn't resist. I could literally taste the moisture in the air, and felt my skin within the armor sweat a little from the humidity. This floor was nearly a fourth smaller than the rest, but I guess that was because only one person was on it. There was only a short hallway, with a door at the opposite end of me. Before I knocked, I heard a soft "_Come in_" beckon me. Good hearing.

Her office looked like something between a jungle and a forest, but our division had the affinity for earth elements, so I shouldn't be surprised. The floor was a lush virescent moss that made me want to slip off my boots so I could feel it between my toes for the first time. There was more life than there were actual "material" things. With the exception of a desk and the egg-shaped porch seat hanging from the ceiling, the room was completely barren of any civilization, but felt as close to the pure nature as I would ever see in my lifetime.

Of course, the room felt full with all the massive vines and flora in the way. The voice spoke again, with an accented "_Come here" _once I tried to make my way through the greenery. Careful not to damage any of it, I felt like I was a rhino attempting ballet in a museum of glass. My armor defended me, but its weight was a dire opponent for the unfortunate squash I stepped on. I heard light breathing, and I turned my head to see the woman in charge of my division. As soon as I untangled my feet from the snaking roots that tried to trip me, I knelt in front of the woman, who seemed to be at least six feet. Six feet of ready to kick my ass for making a bulldozed path through her garden home.

Not to mention this was my first time meeting her, first impressions with the person in charge of your division are so important, I can't even put it into words. I knew that my life was in her hands, and I feared having to explain myself not being graceful enough to navigate through her quarters. The fact that I was stunned didn't help any. My shock wasn't due to her being a woman, or even my fear (okay, maybe _some _of it played a role) of making her upset, but the fact that she wasn't human just completely caught me off-guard. Now, let me explain: while I have been in the Resistance for five years, I was originally in the first division. After three years, I decided to transfer over to the third division. In two years, I had never met my division's commanding officer. It sounds weird, but it's the norm, as they're typically swamped with strategy and board meetings. Their right-hands often tend to the squad for them.

The kicker was that I didn't know Fran _wasn't _human. I've heard rumors of her appearance, but none of them listed her as being 6'2" and a rabbit-anthro mix. Another thing that struck me as odd was how out of place she appeared to me. Again, not for what she was (female or nonhuman), but of how she carried herself. There was this grace and beauty that just didn't fit with the bossy, rough image I had in mind for my commanding officer.

"You are Terra, yes?" A long nail pointed to me and clinked as it tapped against my armor. The two elongated, ivory ears that stemmed from her ebony helmet twitched at the sound. I saw her eyes studying my face for the longest time. Panic trickled in when her brows scrunched, but when I heard the _ping-ping _of her nails to the horns of my headgear, I knew not what to think. "Paying homage to your leader already?"

_What? What was she talking about? Why did she touch the ears...Oh! The ears!_

The realization came to me a full minute after she spoke, and I let out some of my anxiety in a laugh. "This old thing? I've had it since I transferred to your division, Major."

"Call me Fran. You can be at ease, you aren't about to receive any punishment, Terra." Her words calmed me some, but I still felt like I didn't belong in this place. "You are of the lieutenant rank, correct?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"Are you seeking to become a captain?"

"Yes Ma'am-very much so."

"Well, you have your chance to make that a reality, Terra. You've been in this division for two years?"

"Yes, Ma'am. If I may ask, what opportunity are you referring to?" I blinked, trying to search her face for answers. In that quick moment, I ended up with nothing, as Fran was just as curious in my own face. The direct eye contact might be unnerving to some, but I stood my ground. "Don't I have to do some grand feat in order to even be considered for something like that? Like how Xigbar managed to secure a whole district and get rid of the government's troops out of there?"

"His being appointed wasn't a decision made by me. While I take such events into consideration, that would not be the sole reason I would recommend a person for a promotion. No, instead, I study potential candidates for an extended amount of time and evaluate if they are suitable for the next rank. This is my notice to you that you have been under evaluation by myself, and the board." I saw the faintest hint of a grin on her lips. "This next mission might be your last as lieutenant, Terra."

"T-Thank you!" I bowed without thinking. My heart swelled, and I was relieved she couldn't see the stupid grin on my face. Captain Terra-imagine that. The next position after that would be Major-I could have my own division!

"However, you aren't the only one eligible for this position."

I knew there had to be a catch. Standing straight, I mulled over her words. "What do you mean?"

"Simply put, there are more candidates than there are positions. If I recall correctly, there's one you're familiar with. Riku, was it?"

"From the first division?" The brow-knitting was contagious, as I did it when I thought about Riku going for the captain's spot. While he was ambitious, I never really pictured him as one for a "leadership" role. "I've known him since I joined the Resistance. I can't say it'll be an easy fight if he's the one you're talking about."

"In that case, he shouldn't be too broken up about it once you're appointed captain." Fran showed her support in dismissing me with her arm crossed over her chest with three curled, splayed fingers-my division's salute. "Ask Xigbar about your impending mission. Good luck, Terra. Bring honor to our division."

Honor, power, and glory. These three things were like a mantra to our sector. Part of the reason why the others called us bloodthirsty or even berserkers. I couldn't disagree, as we _did _get pretty wild once we were allowed cut loose in battle. It was all the more funny that Fran was in charge of such a group. Not because we might be too much for her to handle, but more so of the fact that it seemed like she _understood _where we were coming from. She's probably been in countless battles, and viewed fighting as an art; but, half of the privates in our division got placed here _because _they couldn't be tamed. I suppose that everyone was like that at one point. I don't remember that stage, but everyone else seemed like a perfect fit for this group. Even Xigbar, who was too busy using fledglings as target-practice half the time.

Through word-of-mouth, I found him in the training dome, where he was sparring against Zack (who finally managed to get up outta bed). The captain regarded me once with a nod before tripping Zack with a glowing, lavender arrow. "Foul!" The younger male cried.

"Ain't no fouls in life or death, kiddo." A scarred tongue mocked Zack before the man went to see me. "You hear him? _Foul, _he said. If there was such a thing, we wouldn't have four measly divisions on the enemy lines!"

"You have a point." I had to agree, but I was quick to change the subject, as I knew how he could talk. "The Major said you'd have my mission."

He tossed a rolled-up paper my way. Opening it, I read the map and roster of the soldiers for that job. As fate would have it, Riku was there, listed right below my name.

"You gonna become a captain, Terra?"

"You know?"

"'Course. We captains talk, yanno. Better you captain than that obnoxious prick."

Riku and Xigbar weren't on good terms even before I arrived. I never cared to know, but I did know not to get in the middle of it. Funny how things turned up then, though.

Xigbar muttered swears here and there as I finished looking at the drawing. "First division needs a little extra manpower, so what a better time than to prove yourself by leading a reconnaissance mission?"

"Axel's not taking the lead?" It was weird for a division's captain not to be present, especially on recon. Reconnaissance was risky, because the corrupt government had more eyes on us than we them. At least, from what I've heard. So whoever was available, they were on board for the task.

"Nope, he's deployed at Radiant Garden, and the higher-ups want this mission off their backs-division one's been slacking. So, two lieutenants and a squad should be more than enough for the task."

Nodding, I agreed. "So, when is it?"

"Two hours from now. Head to the first division and kick ass. I'm placing money on you!"

I turned to head for the exit, but something was bothering me. Turning back, I faced the captain. "Quick question: if the board will be watching Riku and I, how will they do that?"

"Uh...I dunno." The man shrugged, not really caring. "All I know was that for my exam as captain, they bugged me without me even knowing it. So stay sharp."

His reply didn't confirm a thing except that anything was possible. I tried not to think too much about it, so I focused on the present and tried to clear my head. Surely Riku felt the same? Did his division even tell him he was up for a promotion? Or was this some way to see if I could be thrown off my game? Clearly, whatever it was, it was working.

On my trek to the first division's quarters, I had to go through the portal (the entrance of the third division) and down underground into the sewers. Thankfully, it was nowhere near as bad as it sounded. You're probably picturing sewage and waste, possibly some monstrosity living down in the pipes beneath the city, yeah? Well, let me tell you a lil' thing about the first div: they are like rats to the sewers. In a _good _way, of course. After all, I _was _originally in that sector. But what I mean to say is that these folk were extremely adaptable to whatever environment they were in.

These guys thrive on whatever is given to them and make the better of it. They took an outdated sewer system (which begs the question of where all the shit goes if not there)and made that hellhole into one of the most intricate and elaborate places I have ever been to. The place was a complete maze to get to, yeah, but that was the point. Once you got to your destination, the buck didn't stop there. Oh, no. Their head, a man by the name of Leon, made the underground water channels into their primary quarters, and did a damn fine job of it. Kudos to you, Leon. The only complaint I had was that the stench still lingered within the walls, but fortunately, I had my helmet on to block it out.

Enough about aesthetics; it's time I told you about their personality, which totally didn't suit their environment. These guys were the more "posh" part of the Resistance, and the whole mindset of it all was part of the reason why I left. It was as if they were afraid to get their hands dirty. Most people from my squadron either adored or abhored them. The stereotypes were that they were in it for the bravado, or fame of being in battle while turning up their nose at near damn everyone, while we (3rd div) were in it for the blood. These weren't my beliefs, but it was amusing to see shade thrown back and forth. Personally, I was lucky that I got along with both sides, thanks to my history. Due to my past, I was fortunate enough to have allies back me up in that department. Riku was one of them. He had a lotta influence in that sector, just as I did in mine.

When I arrived, there was already a squad getting ready to head out. Some of them acknowledged me without any thought, some outright ignored me. However, there were a few who lingered behind to give me the salute of my own division. Typically, it was common to give your _own _salute to visitors; but if you happen to know what division that person is associated with, then it's a _huge _sign of respect. Like speaking another language: it's one thing if you greet someone in your tongue, but another if you greet them in theirs. It's like that, but to a higher extent.

I reciprocated with the first division's salute, and although the three were in full body armor, I sensed shock, disbelief, and even gushing at my gesture.

"Don't go off stealing my soldiers. What, is the third division aiming to make more men into beasts?"

I grinned at the familiar voice, and was glad that I had my helmet on to veil it. Turning towards the source, I saw Riku already clad in his gear. The first division relied more so on stealth and movement than they did about heavy defenses and strength. Riku's armor (or what little of it) embodied this concept. His face was entirely masked in dark garments, one over the lower half of his face, and a hood masking the rest, with exception of his eyes. It would be a dead giveaway (if he didn't have the hood) that he belonged nowhere near the dark with hair so light. The rest of his armor was just as dark and ridiculous. At least I thought so. Maybe their budget had been cut or something, I dunno. However, when he pulled away at the cloths masking his face, I was able to see his pasty self. I often picked on him because of it, and he with my temper, claiming I was a bomb waiting to go off. Still, I viewed him as something between a brother and an ally. Although I've known him for years, fate would always set us up as rivals, like it couldn't get enough of us butting heads. It was just damn near impossible to avoid.

"I'm not stealing them-they're practically running to my arms." My quip proved to be sharper, and I had this smug look on my mouth while he took his leisurely time coming over. Though, he didn't sneer and remark back. In fact, he was grinning when he came near, and greeted me with an embrace. Although he was younger than me, I heard his grown age echo in the chuckles that filled the foyer of the quarters. The protective covering on his forearms clinked with the armor of my back. The sound of his arms thudding against mine rang throughout the space, as well as our slight mirth. It was refreshing to have someone who I could relate to. Though there was still that lingering tension between us that reared its ugly head at times. Had we not been soldiers in the line of duty, we might have been brothers.

"I'll excuse your potential surveying if you don't steal the show on the mission." We had the habit of rubbing it in each other's faces if we bested the other's record in combat. While it wasn't a game by any means, we tried to keep things lively around here. If you let the doom-and-gloom get to you, it's like you were sucked in by a vortex of despair and that wasn't a possibility for yours truly.

Not a chance-forget about it," I snorted, dismissing the thought. "If anything, you'd best make sure you're not made a fool today."

"Why?"

At this moment, I battled with myself over what to do: take advantage of the situation and keep the whole captain ordeal a secret; _or _I could spill and allow things to get intense. I knew that the two of us were more alike than we would like to admit, and that when it came down to something we desired, absolutely nothing would get in our way. However, I also knew that this mission was one the board had been itching to get off their back, so it was safe to say screwing up wasn't an option. If I let myself get too carried away over besting Riku, I could say good-bye to that promotion.

"In case I make an ass outta you, that's why. The name "Lieutenant Terra" will be on everyone's tongues, while you're off skulking like usual." The bouts between us would never end. Sorry Riku, but there's only one seat, and it has my name on it.

"As if. Now c'mon-I'm late to my own briefing." Riku gestured for me to follow to one of the offices within his division.

Inside, there were only a couple of people, which I guessed were Riku's hand-picked candidates. There were three other people among us, two men and a female. They were soldiers, maybe corporals at the most. They didn't look none too interested in the meeting, but the girl was an exception. There was a certain _pep _to her, and she wouldn't stop talking about wanting to go already. The room felt smaller than it was with all five of us packed in there. While I held a higher status than them, hearing Riku speak about the mission so officially made me doubt myself a little. If I was captain, no doubt I would have to lead missions all the time. Or would I? Would I just sit on my ass and be in meetings all day? That's the exact opposite of what I wanted to do. What I wanted to do was fight alongside my comrades and _lead _them. I was born to be a _leader, _not someone's personal lackey to command more lackeys. I knew it was all a chain-of-command kinda thing, but I knew I had to keep away from those thoughts. Say what you will about them, but the right mix can really mess with someone.

"The Northeast sector is our next target. Seeing as it's the closest and least guarded locale, we need to scope it out before any mention of a raid can be said." With his fancy, little projector, he showed what areas we would be surveying. What a show-off, with his stupid, little gadgets. "While it's not as guarded, that doesn't mean it's not dangerous. Which is why Terra and I will take the lead to ensure things will be safe for the rest of you to follow suit. Once we get to the medical plaza-note here…"

_I would shoot myself if I had to give these presentations day after day until the day I croak. How would I croak? I'd wanna die in battle. Yeah, something...honorable about it all. Not that it's gonna happen anytime soon, of course. I wonder if I would have a chance to go into battle as a captain. No, I'd need to get to something higher than captain-I can't have Xigbar stealing the glory. But when all would be said and done, it would be my name that they would cheer! 'Ter-ra! Ter-ra!'_

"Terra."

"Hurm?" I hacked on my spit, then gargled it down to avoid accidentally spitting it on the girl next to me. My eyes quickly scanned, and saw that it was Riku snapping his fingers at me to get my attention.

"Do you have anything else to add?"

"Uh...no, I don't think so. Can we go already?" A very blasé sigh rolled from my throat. I'm not sure if I went to sleep or was just out of it, but apparently I wasn't the only one who felt like this.

The girl (her name was Yuffie, as I found out) across from me interjected and nearly flew up. "Guy's got a point, Riku! I'm about to go stir-crazy for sitting still so long! Let's go, go, go!"

"Okay, Yuffie, you've made your point clear." The lieutenant shrugged off her pouts, but I recognized something: he was just as enthusiastic. Was there something in particular he was looking forward to, or was he just being bizarre as normal?

To answer that, it was a bit of both. I know, not much of a shocker, but I'll spare you the dull details. The process of suiting up and launching into an enemy-controlled region is not as action-packed as you think it would be. For the most part, it involves waiting. A _heluva _lot of waiting. While Riku and I had split off from the rest of the group and took the lead, we took our sweet time waltzing in the claimed "dangerous sector". There were entry-level guards here and there, and while we avoided them to not stir up trouble, I felt like I was overqualified for this assignment, really. I don't know why this mission was stressed to be so important...Riku appeared to be the same, but at this point, I was having my doubts as to whether I could read him or not. Either way, I sought nothing more than the feedback from Fran. This _had _to be some kind of test.

"Hey, Terra," Riku muttered in the middle of exhuming a sigh. That alone sounded like he had something pent-up inside him, but as to what that was, I didn't know. Some friend/rival/part-time ally I am, huh? "What are you planning to do after this?"

"What?" His question caught me so off-guard that I had to turn to look at him. "What the hell are you going on about?"

"Like, what will you do after you're done with the Resistance? And when they supposedly "win", or defeat the government, or whatever?"

I scrunched my brows at him, and I even felt compelled to tilt my head a little. "What a weird question, Riku. Where did that come from?"

An empty laugh dissipated into a huff of steam between us. Well, us and the rain, towering buildings, and occasional sentry on patrol.

"I've been thinking about something, and I can't get it off my mind."

"Then think of something else-c'mon, let's go when they're not looking." I muttered all in a breath before leaving our spot to cross the intersection when the guard was turned the opposite way. Riku's footsteps let me know he wasn't far behind, so I awaited for him to catch up at the corner of the stairs. "Just take your mind off of it. Trying to make sense of it will do the opposite. I've been there."

"You probably had some blood loss from all of that thinking."

"Shut the hell up," His spurning my advice didn't earn him jack. "If your ass needs saving, you can forget about it."

"Oh, it would be _my _ass? I think your anger issues could definitely land you in hot water sometime soon."

I knew this argument would only snowball downhill, so I left it at that. From then on, I didn't wait for Riku to catch up; I went on ahead whenever the coast was clear. From the stairs, I went up to sneak into an unattended room. Where I was specifically, I didn't know, but I knew I didn't have to stick for long. Thanks to the other girl in the group who caught me up to speed after my power-nap, all that was really necessary was that either I or Riku get the schedules of the shifts, as well as the layout of the building from a computer inside, which would all be obtainable by this miniscule chip she handed to me. Funny how it wouldn't be someone like me to break them down, but this tiny, little device instead. Technology was no kind beast.

I regret not having some kind of garb like Riku and his company; I was in a tank of a suit, and let me tell you, it is not designed for technology whatsoever. You could forget about trying to type-that was not a possibility I quickly found out as soon as I glanced at the sleek keyboard. This was clearly not Terra-friendly. But I had my ways.

First things first, I secured the door with the chair, making sure no one got in. It didn't seem that any cameras were in the room, so I went on and plugged the device in. Now, what happened then was something I can't explain, because technology isn't my suit of expertise. I don't see why they sent me and not some tech geek instead. All was taken care of, and I heard a light _ding _when it was done. During my waiting, Riku caught up, though the scowl had faded. Make no mistake, it was still there, just not as prominent.

"You done?" His words were quieter then.

"Yeah. Tell Yuffie and the others that we're ready to go back." I kept my focus on the mission, whatever the hell it was supposed to be. In retrospect, I probably should have paid more attention in the briefing, but what can you do.

"My bad."

I glanced over my shoulder to the figure in black, whose hood was shielding his eyes from mine. What a coward. "For?"

He only offered a shrug with a momentary pause. How the hell was I supposed to decipher what he was saying, much less _doing? _A shrug really doesn't paint a thousand words, Riku. "I'm not gonna make you grovel, but at least say something."

"Look-you know how I was asking you about what you were thinking of doing after the Resistance?"

"Yeah…?"

"I'm considering leaving. For good."

In that moment, I felt my lips gape at the words he said. The words didn't hit me until 20 seconds after he said it, and when my mind processed it, I didn't know what to feel. The occasional "uh…" and "um…" were automatic responses that were spat out, but I was in shock, to put it simply. "Did you tell anyone else about this?"

"Other than my family, no. I was going to notify Leon of it sometime this week." His shrug irked me for some reason. How could he be so casual about it all? It wasn't as if leaving the Resistance wasn't a big deal! It was a _huge _deal! His ass was on the line, and here he was, scoffing away. "Can you keep quiet about it until we get back?"

"Yeah, sure," I nodded, but it still didn't sit right with me. It wasn't my place to spread his business, but clearly the fool didn't see what a dumbass choice he was making. I had to get him to realize that he was just plain _wrong _for wanting to leave.

Then, a voice peeped in my brain, and asked, _"Well, why does he want to leave in the first place?" _I baffled myself, and I felt like I was in some kind of self-induced stupor. Whatever answer I tried to come up with, it didn't work. Riku wasn't a pacifist or an advocate against violence, so it's not like he disliked fighting. He had a high-ranking position, and respect throughout the divisions. Sure, they liked him, but could the same thing be said about Riku? Did he loathe us? At that point, I was starting to question everything, and it felt like my head was swelling up within my helmet. If it kept bloating, the metal of my helmet might fracture.

"Can I at least ask why?" Something about the way I phrased that made me feel so meek and inferior. Like I was a child beating around the bushes as to not get punishment.

"Let's head back to my division before we delve into the details. It's a long story." This time, he led the way. I saw that our talk shook him up a little, but Riku tried to compose himself. I didn't know...really _anything _that was going on then, but I held in my questions 'til the end. I knew then wasn't the place nor time for Riku's interrogation. So I didn't think about him. Instead, my mind wandered to how easy this mission had been-it was a set-up, no doubt about it. I didn't know what reason they had for sending me, but I wasn't needed for this job. Something wasn't right, I knew that much. Doubts slithered on in my mind, and tried to connect it to Riku-that his spiel about quitting was no coincidence. And who knows, maybe it was? But I refused to let my mind jump to conclusions.

In this kind of environment, doubting one another and bloodshed are things that come to the city's denizens naturally. Except it _wasn't _natural at all. The government had melded their minds to think in this twisted way, and it was manipulation of the highest degree. Turning them into obedient lapdogs guised under the black cloak was one of their biggest successes and _our _biggest problem. We couldn't attack the civilians, even if they were set on tearing our throats out. Naturally, we couldn't do a thing. If we retaliated, there would be an uproar within the city, and more of their citizens would hate us, which gave our enemy the upper hand. We couldn't win against that particular opponent.

I wasn't doubting Riku, I just wished that there wasn't a link between this mission and Riku's wanting to quit. "So, are you at least gonna throw a party before you go?"

A smile cracked for half a second, and he shook his head at me in disbelief. "You are set on making the most of this, aren't you?"

"And why the hell not? You're practically my brother." I fed him the lies that were needed in that moment. "There's gotta be something to mark you going away!"

"Really?"Another scoff, followed by Riku stopping his pace to look at me. "And here I thought you wanted me to stay."

I was fighting with myself over what to say. Did I want him to stay? Yes...but I also wanted that captain's position too. Though, who was I to get in the way of what he wanted? "If you have a good enough reason for leaving, then I'm throwing you a damn going-away party. And if you wanna fight with me about that, then we can duke it out right here and now."

A hand waved in front of him. "If you can hook up my going-away party at the same time as that captain's promotion ceremony tomorrow, we won't have any problems."

"Whose promotion? It better be mine."

"What?"

_Fuck._

I cleared my throat, but looked him in the eye to show that I meant what i said. "Dude, you've known I wanted to be captain. I'll get there..eventually."

"Yeah, maybe when your bones rot," Riku snorted, then shaking off the thought. "But it's that captain of division four. Haven't you heard of Aqua?"

"Isn't division four just a bunch of mages and casters? What else do they do besides keep us hidden?" I didn't know a lot about that division. While their name has come up a couple of times, their "role" really hasn't stuck in my head.

My ignorance made Riku gawk. I think. I couldn't tell with his helmet on. "They could probably wipe out your pack of savages, Terra. Your entire platoon would be frozen before they could take a single step towards them. You seriously don't know about them?"

"Hey, I don't like sticking my nose where it doesn't belong. Can you blame me?"

"You've been here for _five _years!"

"That doesn't mean anything. What, do you _idolize _them-"

"Pft, no." Riku rolled his eyes at my comment. I thought there was something else to it, though. "I just...hear about their captain often, is all."

"Ah, so you got a little crush on their captain, huh? Is she hot?"

"Terra!"

"Nah, she's probably old, right? Wait, is she like, one of those women that don't look their age?"

"There's a reason why I'm quitting and it's staring right in front of me."

_I would miss this._

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! This is Silas speaking! This fic is a co-authored by myself and a fellow writer on here by the pen name _Majorie Franklin, _whose works (The Dark Rule; Sapphire Scales) I highly recommend you read! As for this work, please review and share! Feedback is always appreciated, and queries will be answered in private (if possible).


	2. Anyway, I'm Fine

My mission with Riku didn't end as smoothly as I had anticipated. Firstly, I didn't expect to have a heart-to-heart with my rival and best friend, especially when I _knew_ I was being observed for a possible promotion. Secondly, I was split between telling him to stay (because he was just _wrong _for wanting to leave), or going along with his stupid idea of leaving so I could have that captain's seat to myself. I decided to go with the latter. Was it shallow of me? Of course it was. But that's just how politics work, don't they? So I kept my mouth shut about the captain spiel and focused on my current task.

When we were reunited with the rest of the group, things carried on as normal. With Yuffie and the others guarding the way in, Riku and I were able to get in and out of the governmental buildings without any interruptions or mishaps. I don't think things would have ended up as smoothly weren't for the rest of the team. Apparently, Riku and I hadn't picked up on our enemy tailing us. At first, I thought it was just Yuffie cracking jokes, but when I saw the unconscious bodies that the other members kept out of sight, I realized I was off my game. I guess you could say Riku and I were both preoccupied with our own thoughts. Thankfully, Yuffie saw to it that we would be successful.

"I expect a _long _cat nap when we return, lieutenant!" The petite woman stuck her tongue out at him. Riku nodded in confirmation, granting Yuffie her request.

During the trek back to Riku's quarters, she kept us on our toes. The entire group just meshed well, and it was odd for me, and how comfortable I felt. It was almost as if I never left this division at all. While you think that would be a good thing, it really wasn't. My chest felt slightly heavier, but I kept on appearances as to not ruin the ambience. It was 'pleasant', if I had to sum it up; so I didn't want to be a downer and kill that vibe.

"Hey, you all go on ahead," I motioned for them to go straight to their headquarters. "I have to talk to my commander about something." Riku stared me down, and even raised his silver brows which questioned more than he could say then. The others didn't give it much thought, but the lieutenant was hesitant to leave. "_Don't forge_t." I mouthed to him, reminding him of his promise to tell me the reason for wanting to call it quits so suddenly. His nod confirmed it, and that was all I needed.

Clutching onto the device that hacked the government database, I stared at it in puzzlement. Holding it in front of my eyes, I tried to see what was so special about it. Not being tech-savvy, I wondered why it was so important to get whatever information it hacked from the mainframe. At least, that's what the others (who paid attention to the briefing) said. I didn't even know what it extracted, but apparently, it would help us take the load off while fighting the government. The fight was never-ending, and was one that exhausted both our supplies and soldiers—myself included. So every opportunity we had, we took it.

Unfortunately, I wasn't lucky enough to have the opportunity to go back to my division, as I forgot where specifically the portal was. Groaning aloud, I felt humiliated. I didn't want to chance me getting caught for yelling by my soldiers, but there was _no_ other way for me to get in. In short, it was shameful if a division's lieutenant couldn't remember where the damned door was. So, I decided to wait it out until I would recognize someone so that they could open the door. I made a mental note then to pay the casters a visit to have them make me a device to open these damned portals. This wasn't the first time this happened, and it probably wouldn't be the last.

I heard footsteps, and I couldn't help but feel a chill then; I didn't _just_ hear footsteps, but the weird symphony of unknown sounds that accompanied it. It sounded like the hissing of a gas pipe. Something wasn't right about that. I turned to the sounds' source, but my feet froze when I saw _it_. It...probably was a _he. _Not human, that was for sure. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. Although it resembled a human, the darkness that cloaked it was _far_ from natural. Darkness was literally sifting above its spazzing form like puppet strings, and they wiggled with each crooked step it took. While it was wearing armor similar to my own, I've never seen it before in the Resistance. Though something told me he wasn't from here. "What, you didn't bring any of your buddies with you? Taking you on alone is just a bite-sized snack compared to what I'm used to."

As if surprised, it recoiled its head back. It reminded me of a stray dog. I don't know why it popped up into my head, but I was beginning to doubt its possible harm. But that was disproven when it _lunged _towards me. Quick-stepping to the side, I pulled out my broadsword to block its next advance. My eyes caught its manus extending out of the metal covering his hands while they mercilessly curved over my sword. This obsidian and violet fluid seeped from his palms and onto my boot, where it was eating away at my armor. The metal had dissipated because of the fluid, and I was worried its next meal was my flesh.

Pushing it away, I knew I needed to get distance between us. I took a look at my weapon, and saw that it too, was corroding. The monster's touch was enough to make holes in my weapon, and whatever gunk was left on the sword continued to deplete the metal. Both that and my boot were being eaten away by the substance. If I couldn't touch him, how was I supposed to defeat him?

_Shit, if I had only learned how to cast, I wouldn't be in this mess..but there's not much to it, right? You just move your hands and say a command aloud, don't you? _

"I'm not fucking embarrassing myself now," I scoffed under my breath as I took up my sword again. Contaminated or not, I knew it was the only shot I would have. My under-armor was starting to appear, but the growth hadn't progressed so much on the sword. Kicking off my ruined boot, I was wary to not let that _stuff _infect my skin—I saw the effects of it and was not something I wanted in my system.

What I couldn't wrap my head around was the thing's speed—I could hardly tell where it went—it was like he vanished in the air. My heart was holding its beat while I scanned the area for that bastard. There was _nothing _in sight except for the intersection in front of me. One of the four lights were working, and my eyesight wasn't extraordinary enough for night-vision. Most of the city was covered in that perpetual night, but the more populated sectors had the convenience of lights.

I relied on my ears, but the buzzing of that one working light muted everything out with how obnoxious it was. I was on alert like that for at least ten minutes, maybe more; but after a while, I had assumed I had spooked whatever the hell I encountered. I was still on my guard, and kept my back was to the nearest wall, so if he was planning to ambush, I could see him coming.

Except I didn't.

I felt myself fall back _into _the wall. I looked up, and saw that I was in between a dark portal, and the world I knew. Kicking my legs back, I threw myself back into the city with my lower body, and used all of my strength to resist the pull of the dark ingress. In both disgust and awe, I gawked at the portal before backing away from it. It wasn't like the ones I used to get back to my division; _this _one gave me goosebumps just looking at it, it was _that _freaky. You could stare at the pool of ebony and dark violet all you want, but it was a literal pit. Where it went, I had no idea. When I turned, there was another gloaming pool, but I jerked my foot away before I could step in it. _Not gonna fool me twice, _I snickered in my head.

I stared at the pools with a paranoid curiosity before I saw the tainted armor climb out of the hole. It didn't seem hellbent on revenge, but it just kinda appeared lifeless. Sword in hand, I was ready to lop his head off, and I swung down, only to see that I cut down an illusion.

The real thing came from the opposite hole, and took me by surprise completely. I realized this too late, as I felt drops on my neck, and they stung the longer I stayed frozen. They were ridiculously warm, so I assumed they were coming from his mouth. It was behind me, and a little _too _close to my body. Neither of us moved then. I suddenly began to question if it really wasn't human. An animal would have been heaving by now; but this thing sounded as regular as you or I.

"_S..Sorry_."

I jerked at hearing him speak. "What?" I quickly felt the loss of control in my limbs. In addition, it felt like something was paralyzing me, but he wasn't even touching my body. His obsidian armor crouching down low to gaze at me was the only thing I could make out. Hands went to his helmet, and when it was tossed to the side, two beady lights of saffron stared me down. They almost looked..._sad. _I found myself gradually enclosed by that same darkness it exhumed, and it lulled me in its own spell. It was like I was being tugged away from the concrete realm, and into one...not so concrete.

I felt myself at peace then. This sensation was unlike any I've ever felt before. I was sure I was underwater, as I "floated" further into the depths. There was no other possible explanation. On my way down, with eyes wide open, I saw air bubbles jiggle up to the light's surface. I concluded I most likely wasn't alive then, so I might as well try to figure out what kind of hell this was (It sure wasn't in heaven, given my track record). Everything surrounding me was just this bleak, abyss of darkness, with the exception of the light of the tower below me. Its roof was a flat mural of this meek, blond boy who couldn't have been older than 16, curled up in a fetal position.

The boy was in the center of this five-petaled flower that was outlined in onyx. On each of the petals, there was a different kind of location in each of them. One had this city up in flames, another with this creamy beach with trees carrying star-shaped fruit, and a different petal showed this ivory castle all by itself. Hell if I knew what it all meant. I'm sure the subliminal messaging was meant to get my attention, but I couldn't piece it together for the life of me.

_You...where have I seen you before…?_

Another set of footsteps echoed on the shards of stained-glass, and I turned around, seeing the boy from the floor—live. I only saw the back of him, but I was stuck in my own stupor trying to remember why the hell he seemed so familiar.

_Why does this seem so nostalgic…? It's not like I know him, right?_

The exact moment I thought those words, the boy in front stopped moving. He only looked to the side, but I couldn't make out the features of his face. It shook his edgy, blond hair, as if to deny the statement.

"Do I know you?" I had to ask, seeing as the boy wouldn't let me think otherwise.

At my words, he continued on their way, and looked straight ahead, but the only thing that was left was...nothing. Wait—he was walking towards the edge!

"Wait!" I roared, scrambling, cluttering as I tried to get to where he was fast enough.

And just like that, he disappeared. Crawling swiftly to the last steps he took, I peered my head down over the mural's border to see if I could make out any trace of blond in that vast, limitless pit of darkness, even though I knew it was futile.

_"Do not be afraid."_

It was a voice, but it had no sound. It was oddly soothing...and warm.

"You say this man's name is Terra?"

"Yes—he's a close friend of mine, doctor. Can I see him?"

"Hm...I suppose a visit won't do him harm. Though do keep your distance, Riku. There's no telling how he'll take to the medication I've administered."

All of that was background noise. I didn't pick up on any of it. Instead, I was trying to figure out how to soothe this barbed knot in my chest. With an elbow over my eyes, I refused to let anyone see me like this. Wherever I was, I was relieved I was alone. All the overwhelming pain and sadness I felt then, I couldn't repress. It was as if my chest had split like a nail to wood. My teeth were clenched tight and still, and the edges of my mouth were stretched to their limits. They burned when the lukewarm droplets slithered in between the cracks of my lips. I felt no additional pain other than pity and grief, and I didn't know why. A small voice within me pleaded to stop crying, but it was soon muted.

I _loathed_ it all: feeling like _this, _the sound of my voice breaking, me shielding my eyes—it was all so pathetic, and went against everything I was taught. I was brought up to be strong; however, not for myself, but for the sake of others. Now that I was alone, I couldn't even support myself, and I wanted to die. The grief was enough to bear, but knowing I was a complete humiliation to myself made me wish that that thing back there would have just finished me off.

The aged folds of the tent's entrance curled inwards, and brought with it Riku. I groaned aloud, and that quickly turned into a fit of dry, empty mirth. Even though I knew it was pointless to try to cover it up, I tried regardless. Relying on my hearing, I made out Riku to be sitting across from me, and not far. Sure, I could have looked, but I didn't want to embarrass myself more than I already had.

For a while, neither of us said a word. The silence didn't bother me, though. It was strange: I refused to look him in the eye, but that didn't stop me from exhibiting my pain. I was on the verge of losing it. Between suicidal dreams and releasing some of the pent-up emotions I've repressed for years, it made sense that I would act like this. I could only pray that Riku had enough sense to see that. Even a morsel of it.

"You know, I'm pretty pissed at you. For lying to me."

My brows grew together, as I racked my brain to try and figure out what the hell he was going on about. At first, I opened my mouth to speak, but I feared my voice would crack, which would shatter whatever remaining self-confidence I had. So I settled for a simple, "Hn?"

Riku's scoff let me know he was in no mood whatsoever for bullshit. "About you being promoted, captain jerkoff. Ha, that should be your new title. It can testify to your true nature, at least. How could you hide something like that from me, Terra?" You said so yourself that we are like brothers, so what's the deal?"

Yeah, I said it, but that doesn't mean I actually _meant_ it. Hell, _I _don't even know if I meant it. Regardless, I knew I had to tell Riku sooner or later (though I preferred the latter).

Sitting up, I turned towards the side so that my back was to Riku. However, I didn't take note of my injuries until I started moving my body around. Even then, I tried to repress any cries that may have come out. I was weak—I didn't need to make a fool out of myself either.

"I wasn't sure when I planned on telling you—maybe never, who knows." Giving a nonchalant shrug was a sure thing to tick Riku off, but he deserved to hear my take on it. "I knew that I was being considered for a promotion, but I was also told that you were up for it too."

"What?"

"Yeah," I joined in on his shock. "It's funny how we are always pitted against each other like that. I had a feeling it was a set-up, but I didn't want to say anything. Especially after you told me you wanted to quit."

"Wait, you didn't tell anyone about that, did you?"

I snorted in response, and shook my head. "No, I just happened to get up in the middle of my sleep and spread the word about that goddamn lieutenant finally leaving the first division. It was about fuckin' time."

"Fuck you," He threw something at my back. Turning, I grabbed it and reared my arm to retaliate, until I saw the look on Riku's face. Mouth agape and eyes big, he gawked at me like I told him I was on death row. "Terra, what's that on your neck?"

"What are you talking about?" I spoke too soon. Riku's eyes stayed glued to my neck. My fingers slid underneath the longer strands of my hair and cautiously ghosted over this patch of skin that felt funky. I felt my gut shrinking while my fear of '_what the fuck is this thing on my skin' _sunk in. "Riku, what is it?"

"Hell if I know! Stop moving around so I can take a look at it." He gruffly muttered, but forced me to sit like a statue with him gripping my shoulder. "Do you want me to call Ansem?"

"Who?" I turned my head to the side so that Riku could get a better view.

"The doctor who examined you." Quickly answering, Riku flicked the side of my head. "You probably don't remember because the medicine knocked you out. You were a real mess, y'know. What the hell happened in the first place?"

"Can you get your face away from my neck first?"

"It's not everyday that you see something this freaky. Hold on." The lieutenant pulled away to get a mirror that was with some medical supplies across from my cot. I took it, and examined my neck, only to see that this wound did _not _look pretty. It looked something like an inverted burn (yeah, how much sense does _that _make?), but when I prodded it, I didn't feel a thing—like my neck was numb.

"So, what the hell is it, Terra?"

"It' s nothing, you idiot. Any halfwit could see that it's just a nick. The gunk in my armor just got on it and made it look nasty." I figured if I didn't feel anything, then it wasn't a problem, right? I originally thought it was from what happened earlier, but that didn't make any sense. I just dreamt it all up. That _thing_…was pure fiction. Nothing more than my mind acting up. Besides, I would sound like a lunatic if I even _attempted_ to describe it.

"If you say so." Riku settled back in his seat. "You alright?"

"Damn, you have a lot of questions today. What is this, _20 Questions?_"

"I was just worried." He huffed and tried to keep that nonchalant air to him, but I could see him still wearing concern on his face. And here I thought he wasn't the sentimental type.

I stretched and slapped my hand down on his knee. "You're too young to be wearing that kind of look on your face."

"I'm 17!"

"My point exactly." I grinned at him. "Take it from someone who's had some experience."

"Sure, whatever. So, you gonna tell me how you had your ass handed to you right after our mission, oh experienced one?" His curiosity refused to call it quits, and his arrogance knew no bounds. I had already expressed the notion that I wouldn't hesitate to lie to him again—the whole captain affair made sure of that. "Wait, you mentioned something earlier about me being captain. What did you mean?"

Bright whites gleamed at my reaction. "You tell me the _truth _about the person that did this to you, and then I'll answer all your questions." He figured he had the advantage in this situation.

I had no choice but to lie again. The truth (which I had my own doubts about) was something I wasn't accustomed to often, so speaking it was like speaking another language. Hey, I had my reasons for giving the occasional white lie, and so do many others. It was slightly shameful, I'll admit, that I resorted to lying often, but it just made things _so_ much simpler. Even if I did tell Riku the truth, he wouldn't believe me. So, I gave him something credible.

Going with the hunch that Riku had a heart, he might buy my little _performance. _Rolling my shoulders back, a tired groan climbed up from my throat. I was sitting on the end of the bed, with palms at its sturdy edge. I was the living, breathing example of fatigue in that moment, and got in-character for my act. "If I tell you, you don't breathe a single word of this to _anyone. _I really do trust you, so don't disappoint me, Riku."

"I won't, man." Riku held up his hands like he was about to make an oath.

And so, my tale began. "You remember how Yuffie told us we were being tailed without us knowing it? I had a suspicion that those guys got detected way too easily, maybe even on purpose just to throw us off-guard. My theory is this: there were others, and one of them waited for his buddies to get caught so he could get the jump on me. And from there, we fought, and I got this nick on my neck because of it. I couldn't make out his face because he had on a hood, but he was…something else. That's all, really."

With a hand on his hip, Riku stared me down. "You expect me to believe that?" A scoff came, followed by his head shaking. "It was a clever touch adding in Yuffie's theory and adding onto it, but I don't buy it."

"That's not all of it," I piped quickly, sneering at the impatient man. "If you would let me speak-"

"Fine!" The soldier waved his hand, letting me have the stage again. "Let's hear where your web of lies is taking us."

I knew I had to step it up, so it was time to play with Riku's sensitive side. Whatever came out of my mouth was something I didn't try to stop, because once I had the idea, I went with it. "There was someone else involved too—a boy. I didn't know him except for the brief time I saw him, and that was when he was being held hostage by the hooded man. Kid couldn't have been more than 16." As my words tried to weave this charade into a neat little web, my body had a role in making this story genuine as well.

Riku was a hard-ass, and most likely wouldn't believe me if I just _told_ him. This meant I had to make it real enough, which called for certain cues. Nothing too dramatic, but there are little things our minds pick up when analyzing a person's body language. Ones that I employed at the time involved my throat flexing at times when the tale got emotional, and direct eye contact. The latter I typically wouldn't use, but looking away would have given me away, or even made me seem guilty. Point was, I wasn't some clueless idiot when it came to acting. Truth be told, I thought I was a little _too _good at it, and I kinda wished I wasn't sometimes.

"I mean, it's not like I could just stand and watch that boy get taken, Riku. So of course I had to get involved and go after them. I don't know why they would tail me from the mission, just to lure me out…but they succeeded, and I really wished I didn't go for it."

"What do you mean?" Riku was puzzled, but I could see him falling for my story.

"Because it was all a ploy. It wasn't even worth it in the end, because my efforts were futile." It was leading up to the climax, and I paused to keep a clenched fist over my mouth to regain my "composure". "But it wasn't even worth it in the end. The boy was just a lure. When they had me, they no longer had a need for him. Sure, I've slain countless of people in battle, but I have _never _laid my hands on an innocent!" My voice grew shaky, and I spoke in only gruff whispers from then on. "Riku, do you how fucking useless I felt when that boy's throat was slit in front of me? His eyes didn't move from then on, and all of it was just to get my attention."

The pricks of pain came back in my chest and echoed in the hollow cavity. Maybe I was taking this acting thing a little _too_ far. That same agony returned again, and it was _very _genuine, believe me. My hand went to slap my neck, as if it was the source…but why was I feeling the pain in my chest?

"_That's not kind of you to make a play about me. Shouldn't you at least introduce me once?"_

"Ventus…?" Was the sole word that slipped out. As if that was the remedy to my agony, it dissipated as quickly as it came. However, I lost the sense of feeling in my legs shortly after, and I saw them stiffen right after I lost control of the muscles. It was as if it was a growing paralyzation, and soon, I felt myself falling over the edge of the bed.

Riku swooped in to hold me up from smashing my face on the concrete ground. "Terra! What's wrong?!"

Legs were a no-go. Arms were rigid and glued to my sides. I tried to move my jaw, but it felt like someone was hammering in a nail through my teeth. The most I could get out was a grunt, but that didn't say very much. I couldn't lift a finger, much less move my lips. I didn't know if it was abnormal, but my body had started to grow cold, as if I was literally _frozen _solid. Where it came from, I hadn't a damned clue, but all I could figure was that the weird flesh wound and the name 'Ventus' were somehow connected to my current condition.

"Ansem!" I could tell Riku was panicking, but not from his voice. It was his touch that shocked me. The fingers on my collarbone trembled, and I don't think I have ever seen him this frightened before.

_Did he genuinely care for me, or was he trying to save his own ass from looking like he did something to me?_

"Doctor Ansem! I need you to come over here!" He refused to stop bellowing, and I felt pity for him.

I couldn't turn my head towards whoever came in the tent, but I'm guessing it was Ansem. "Riku," His voice was antique-y sounding, and had an accent I couldn't distinguish. "Place him on the cot so I can process to administer some relaxers. How did he get like this?"

"I-I don't know, one sec he was explaining his neck wound, and he froze up after saying 'Ventus'."

I _really_ pitied Riku then. I knew he didn't want me to see him in such a vulnerable state, but he had the balls to look me in the eye the whole time, even if he was scared shitless. I'm not sure if I could have done the same.

"Lieutenant, you need to leave," The other voice commanded him. Was he in the Resistance? An officer maybe? He would have to be of a higher rank to speak to him like that.

"Why can't I stay?!"

"Terra's treatment is best administered alone. Plus, I have some questions for him so I can figure out how he became like this. Now leave!"

Riku was out of my line of sight, but he left hesitantly, I could hear that much. All that I could see was the top of the tent, and Ansem scuttling about to the side in my peripheral vision. For a while, he didn't do anything, and I was wondering what exactly he was waiting for. It made me slightly anxious, like I was a lab rat waiting to be inspected. All that totally unnecessary clinking about, the note-taking, and whatever the hell else he was doing—unneeded.

Then, he went over to me, standing at the edge of the bed. I could finally see him. He wasn't quite as I imagined—he looked younger than I expected. There wasn't grey hair, but blond, despite how his voice inflected his age.

There was something unnerving about this man. I couldn't pinpoint it to anything concrete, like outright fear or anger. No, if anything, I felt some _connection _to him, but I didn't even know this man, nor had I ever met him. It was just a stupid feeling. These misplaced feelings were starting to make less sense by the minute.

"Terra, can you hear me?" Ansem asked, looking down at me, but I couldn't move my mouth to say a word. The most that I could get out was a grunt, but that didn't really tell him much.

In front of my face, he held up his index finger. "Follow my finger with your eyes." He didn't bother to explain his reasoning, but I guess it had something to do with medical procedures. I didn't have difficulty moving my eyes side-to-side, which I guess was a good thing. Ansem said nothing after testing me, and went to go scribble down some notes instead. With some hesitation, the doctor pulled out a metal probe. I didn't like the look of it.

"Since you can't move your mouth to speak, you'll communicate with blinks—twice for yes, once for no. Blink twice if you understand."

Two blinks.

"Good. With this instrument, I'll be testing what parts of your body are paralyzed. Then, I'll give you a quick fix. It doesn't appear to be all that critical, so unfortunately, you won't be able to miss the ceremony this time, lieutenant Terra."

If I could, I would look at him weird, like one of those looks that say, _'I'm not on the same page as you". _How did he know I skipped out on those? Ceremonies were typically dull, almost like rituals, with a bunch of the higher-ranked soldiers in their full armor (if they wanted take the traditional route) or just formal dress standing stiff while some old guy recites some boring lines some people really couldn't give a shit about. It all varied from division to division on how the ceremony is like. Some are stiffer than others, while division three's promotion ceremonies were always top-notch. Personally, I didn't care about anyone that wasn't in my squadron. The reason why I said that was because we actually _know _how to host a true function, but that's a different story.

My thoughts were getting me nowhere with figuring out who Ansem was. He clearly knew who _I _was, which put me at edge. Throughout the examination and his questioning, I tried to figure this guy out, but I ended up with nothing.

"Well," He rose up, cleaning his tool with a wipe. "You could have just _said _you didn't feel a thing, you know."

I didn't think anyone in the Resistance could make me feel secondhand-embarrassment at a pun, but there I was, wanting to cover my eyes with a hand.

"Now then, let's get you up and moving. A simple remedy should relax your muscles. You know, you're fortunate to be in an era where all you need is a simple elixir." The physician kept running his mouth, and it felt like eternity until he decided to get the damned cure.

"It'll sting, and you probably won't be able to use this arm for a day or two." A syringe with a mint substance inside of it tapped against my right bicep. Without warning, Ansem injected it into me, and I had an inkling to break his hand. None of my check-ups were this painful, so what the hell was _this_ doctor doing wrong? What kind of cheap-ass, backwoods doctor did Riku take me to see in the first place? I would skin his ass the first chance I got…or whenever I could move again...whichever came first.

After a minute through, the effects of the drug were already starting to kick in. My shoulders were the first thing to loosen some, and then my mouth. I didn't regain my sense of touch instantaneously or all at once, but bit-by-bit, I could move some parts and feel the bizarre, prickly sensation in the soles of my feet. I gave a groan of relief the moment I could speak. "Thank you." Clearing my throat after moving my jaw, I gave two rough pats on Ansem's shoulder. "I feel a heluva lot better, doc."

"Not a problem, lieutenant." Ansem began to put away his medical supplies. "Truth be told, I think you would be alright without the shot, but your friend Riku was in a state of panic earlier. I hadn't seen him in a state like that for years."

"You know Riku well?" I was surprised to hear the old man speak of him so casually.

"Of course. But I'll leave him to tell you about his history—it's not my place." The doctor waved his hand, like he was signaling the end of that topic. "Should you feel any pain or discomfort after 24 hours, ask Riku to take you to see me. In case you're not aware, my office isn't one that's all that known, and I prefer to keep it that way."

"But wh-"

"For reasons." The answer cut me off, and I knew that was an area I should not be sticking my nose in.

"Sure, okay—my lips are sealed. I won't say a word. But…" I drawled on, unsure if the question in my head would be stupid to ask. "Can I ask a favor of you, doc?"

"What is it?"

A cold sweat started to coat my skin. "Do you mind taking a look at this thing on my neck? I'm not sure what it is, but I don't feel anything when I touch it." I moved my hair to the side to reveal the bizarre patch of skin. Ansem didn't say much after that, like he was struck silent. Needless to say, it didn't make me feel any better.

"When did this start-"

"I dunno, I just woke up and didn't notice it until Riku said something about it."

"He knows?"

"I made up some story to not make him worry. I just said that the dirt of my armor got on a wound and infected it or something."

"Although you _do _know it's far from a mild infection?"

"Look, I don't know _what _the fuck it is," I huffed while pointing "But as long as it doesn't hurt, it can't be too bad, right?"

And then, Ansem gave me a look I would never forget—_pity_. I could have sworn that was the first time anyone has ever looked at me that way, but I had the feeling it wouldn't be the last.

"_Trust me, it's not." _The voice in my head chimed again, but it wasn't my own. My voice, that is. I tried not to think about it, because a part of me worried I was really going mad. I hoped this was just a side-effect of the meds.

Instead, Ansem went rummaging through his belongings until he pulled out his package with a lock on it and handed it to me. "If you are in serious pain, inject yourself with only one shot at a time—but use them sparingly—and hide it."

"What? Why?"

"Look Terra—I will not be able to aid you if your ailment takes a turn for the worst. Which is why you have to be preemptive and act before it affects your body. If you act early, you might not even feel any pain-"

"Wait!" I raised my voice, because he was losing me. "Why are you talking like I have a serious disease or something?"

"Because I'm afraid…" Ansem perked his neck up, and I heard approaching footsteps. "We'll talk about this another time, but do not utter a word of this to anyone, not even to Riku." He kept his voice low the whole time he spoke.

Riku walked back in, and I could tell he grew tired of waiting by the impatient look on his face. He went over to Ansem, and they spoke in hushed tones for a minute until Ansem spoke up. "Terra, I've instructed for Riku to keep watch on you. Just in case the Resistance get suspicious of your whereabouts. He will also keep me updated about your status."

"Ansem," I didn't like how all of this was set up. All of these secrets were starting to crowd around me, and I couldn't help but feel like they were pressing down on me. I don't even know why I guarded some of these secrets if they were starting to take this heavy a toll on me. "Who are you really?"

"Truth be told, I haven't a damned idea."

Riku and I left the tent with few words. I didn't like silence—it made me paranoid. I heard of relationships where two people could be totally fine with not saying a word to each other. I couldn't do that. To me, whenever there was silence, it was always a sign that something wasn't right. That held true that day. Ironic, but back then, all I wished was nothing _but silence._

"I'm quitting to go back home."

Riku, apparently didn't how to make an introduction. I looked to him and said nothing for a moment. Looking him over, it was funny to see him grow paranoid the more I stared at him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I was just thinking how sentimental you've been lately. Maybe it's a good thing you're leaving-"

"Shut the fuck up, Terra. I'm being serious."

"I know, I'm just fucking with you." I did the obnoxious thing and pulled him into a too-tight, "brotherly" embrace. Seems that whatever Ansem gave me, it sure was potent. "You're not gonna stick around for much longer, so I have to make the time last. But what made you homesick?"

Riku didn't pull away, and continued to walk close to me on whatever way we were going (which I guessed was his division). "To be honest, it was you. Your story about…Ventus?"

_Why did hearing that name make me so sad?_

"Yeah, but why?" I just didn't get it. None of it. Of anything.

"It got me thinking…about home. More or less, my official reason for leaving is retirement; but I just want to make sure that the people I care about back home are safe. You know I didn't grow up here, right? I was born in Destiny Islands, but raised in Radiant Garden. You've been there, haven't you?"

"Of course I have. But really, you're scared, aren't you?"

Riku was silent for a moment, but he was still connected to my body. I could tell what he was thinking. He didn't want to admit it, but there was some fear of his loved ones being in danger. It was very common for people like us. We fight for those we love, as well as those that can't stand up to fight. To not be able do that…well, as a soldier, I can say it makes us feel downright useless. I went through that once, and I wouldn't want Riku to go through something like that.

"I can't blame you." I filled in the silence, and patted his back twice to console him. "But you could have just told me from the get-go, asshole. I was starting to think there was some kinda conspiracy or uprising within the Resistance with how weird you acted!"

"Hey, I need to keep you on your toes." He was grinning some then, and it caught me off-guard. When's the last time I've been able to make someone smile like that? I felt like those opportunities were scarce among people like us. I couldn't help but feel good about it. There was something rewarding about being able to pull off a seemingly insignificant feat like a smile.

"You deserve to go home." I gave credit where it was due—Riku, despite being so young, did more than his fair share of work. He's seen way too much blood and countless corpses—he shouldn't live his life this way. "The people from your home will probably be glad to see you."

"What about you?" He flipped the question to me. "You've been in the service longer than I have. When are _you _gonna call it quits?"

"Hmmm…not for a while. I want to help out where I can, and if that's kicking ass, then so be it. I'm staying."

"You really have your mind set on this, don't you?"

"As set as stone. But don't you forget about us now. You come stop by sometime." I had him in a headlock, and tried to make him swear.

"Jeez, Terra! I'll visit!" He slapped his hand on my arm, yielding. Catching his breath, he had this devious look in his eye. "_Maybe_."

"What do you mean _maybe?_"

His mirth echoed as we entered the tunnels of the sewers that led to his division's headquarters. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by Leon, who was surprised to see the two of us together. "Terra and Riku…last time I saw you two together was nearly two years ago. What's the occasion?"

"My retirement." Riku announced loud and proud for the whole division to hear. I wanted to groan in embarrassment, as he just didn't get the fact that these things were a _big _deal. Riku didn't know how to introduce things, let alone let his boss know he's quitting.

Leon wasn't the chattiest man I've come across, but whatever few words he did say, he sounded either really pissed or really badass. He was _the _epitome of "badass", but he always kept things calm and cool on the surface. While the first division had this air of being cocky, Leon was nothing like that. He would be _the _man on the posters for people to enlist in the Resistance (if we could do such a thing). To sum it up, Leon was someone nearly everyone looked up to, and someone Division 1 was lucky to have.

"You spend one day with the lieutenant of the third division and now you want to leave?" The lieutenant Colonel spoke after his moment of silence, with his eyes then shifting to me.

I remembered him scolding Riku and I years ago, when we were younger and more naive. However, this wasn't about to be that—I could tell by the way the line of his mouth was fixed. He didn't know it, but Leon's bottom lip jutted slightly out right before he would smile. And as predicted, he gave a smirk, and then went on to extend a hand to Riku. "It's been an honor serving with you, lieutenant. Of course, there's some paperwork you'll need to fill out, plus you'll want to say good-bye to your division in person, right?"

"Of course!" Riku piped up, nodding thrice. "Also, I've a favor to ask you, Leon."

"Hmm?"

The young soldier then slapped me roughly on my back. "I want to stay an extra day before leaving. I can't skip out on Aqua's promotion tomorrow. Plus, this sorry excuse for a soldier had his ass handed to him, and someone has to keep him in check tomorrow too—doctor's orders."

"Sure, I don't see why not. Aqua would be pissed if you _didn't _go, right?"

"Who the hell is Aqua?!" I asked a little too loudly. In turn, I got the attention of everyone in the foyer. Riku shook his head as Leon stifled a laugh. I honestly didn't see why she was such a big deal. If she was _so _amazing, then how come I didn't know her?

"Maybe if you would take the time to know people from outside your own division, you would have known about the woman who plays a role in deciding where or not you make captain." Riku sneered, and in that moment, I wanted to bash a couple of his chalky teeth in. The only reason I didn't was because Leon was standing right in front of me.

He, on the other hand, couldn't stop chuckling to himself. "You know, he has a point. But I'll fill you in Terra, in case you meet her at the ceremony tomorrow and make a royal ass out of yourself." Leon got a hold of himself and went on to tell me about the all-amazing Aqua.

Apparently, she was a pretty big deal, even outside of her division (in case you haven't noticed). She's been in the Resistance since she was young, so she now holds the title of both captain and sage (and soon to be seeress) of Division IV. Part of me wished there wasn't a stupid ceremony for her in the first place. Nobody...well, me really, hasn't heard of her division. I mean, sure, their name popped up once or twice, but I really didn't my any attention to it; my motto was: if it didn't involved me, I'm not getting involved with _it. _Point is, the whole discussion sounded over-exaggerated, both her and her division, which I didn't hesitate to voice out.

"She doesn't sound all that impressive."

Upon saying that, I got disapproving looks from both men: Riku with his signature '_Oh my God, are we really wasting our time on this?' _and Leon with a custom _'Oh boy'. _

Leon tolerated my impatience, which was something Riku obviously couldn't do then. "Look, Terra...while your squad in bar to none in terms of strength...imagine what it would be like if you embed your attacks with magic."

"I don't have time for-"

"Stay with me—just think about the possibility."

I did as he asked, and pondered the idea. I personally couldn't envision certain men having the patience nor tolerance for magic. But if by some miracle they could successfully cast, then we would be a murdering force, rather a section of a militia.

The lieutenant Colonel interrupted my train of thought. "And _that, _my friend, is the sheer power of the fourth division. It would be a losing battle to go against them—it almost always is."

Seeing that these two were obviously stuck on trying to convert me to the religion of Aqua, I pretended not to care, and dismissed the topic with a shrug. "Sure, whatever. I'll see you later, Leon."

"Where are _you _going?" Riku huffed, asking as if he was a parent that wouldn't let his grounded kid leave the house.

"If you must know, dear Riku," I turned around to give him a look that was none too enthusiastic. "I planned on heading back to my quarters to get some sleep, hoping I can squeeze at least two hours of sleep before people start frenzying about the ceremony. You know, if I _do _meet Aqua, I'm letting her know straight-up I didn't get enough sleep because of her pretentious ceremony. If she was a _he, _I probably would have-"

"Terra." Leon chimed in, this time, with a familiar tone of disapproval. "Mind your tongue. Obviously, you're tired. Head back to your division and get some sleep. Riku, you mind escorting him in case he passes out again?"

_Fuck you, Leon._

There was an air of hostility lingered between Riku and I. I couldn't say I blamed him; if I was obsessed over some chick that probably wasn't aware of my existence, I'd probably be hung up too on "protecting her honor" or some bullshit like that. Point being, I was too tired to fight with Riku anymore. Today had been a long day, and the only thing I was looking forward to was my cot.

But even then, I knew I would have trouble sleeping tonight. After all that had happened, I knew my mind would get restless with my thoughts running around. To take it all in emotionally and physically drained me. First was the sketchy mission, then that weird dream (which I didn't even know was real or not), not to mention Ansem shooting me up with some mysterious substance, and now this Aqua bullshit. I just needed a break. I needed _sleep._

"Something on your mind?"

I did my earnest not to let my violent tendencies get to me and make the situation between Riku and I even worse. Obviously, he was oblivious to damn near everything he was involved in—talk about ignorance being bliss. "Nah, I'm just tired, man." I shrugged it off as nothing. "Look, you really don't have to walk me all the way to my division—I can handle it."

"You've been acting strange all day, so I'm going to reject your request." Figures he would be as stubborn as an ass. "Plus, there's something I want to show you."

"You planned something?" I felt my brows rise.

"Hm...it's just a little something. Nothing to really gawk at."

It made me wonder how Riku knew the portal, but _I _didn't. Wait, that means he had to have talked to someone within my division to gain access. The gears in my head began to turn, and I didn't like where all of this was headed.

At the foyer of my headquarters, I began to grew anxious. Not only because of whatever Riku may have possibly been conspiring, but also the fact that there wasn't a single light on in the foyer. I groaned aloud, thinking that some knucklehead probably screwed around with the power grid. If I could cast, I would have totally used a flame or something to light my way. Thankfully, Riku's brain was actually working for once, and remembered to bring a lightstick in case of situations like the one we were in then.

"What's with your div, Terra?"

"Hell if I know. Let's just get to the elevator so I can sleep."

"Wait!"

"_What?!" _I growled, swerving to look him in the eye.

He grinned then, and batted me lightly on the head with the stick. "You were about to step on that girl's foot."

"What?" I repeated myself.

As if on cue, the lights in the foyer went on at my question. My eyes squinted at the sudden luminosity, but I was even more shocked to see the massive swarm of people all in front of me.

"_Congratulations_!" "_Surprise_!"

I felt alone, despite my entire division greeting me at the entrance. My mind felt dizzy at the sheer number of men there to greet me at the entrance—they were literally _packed _in the foyer, with both cheesy smiles and faces. The grip on my arm grew tighter, and reminded me that Riku was by my side. All around me were handwritten decor and signs, congratulating me on...becoming captain? I felt _overwhelmed, _because I didn't know if this was a joke or not.

"Say something, _Captain._" Riku spoke quietly into my ear, and it was a small shock to my system. I had to say something—anything—they were waiting on my reaction.

"C'mon captain!" Xigbar had blended in perfectly with the mob until he stepped out of the group. "I didn't help get this group of savages out here to welcome you on stepping up to the new rung for nothing! Would a little bit of enthusiasm kill ya?"

I saw it all. I heard what was said, and the words spoken to me, but none of it was connecting.

"_You seem preoccupied, Captain. You've a lot on your mind. Why not sleep on it?"_

"That...sounds nice." The words flowed out of my mouth in one breathy whisper. My legs couldn't support me, and felt as if there weren't any bones in my body. Unfocused, my eyes drifted elsewhere, and were beyond my control.

"_Terra_!"

"_Lieuten-er, Captain!_"

"_Hey, hey, give him some space!"_

I was left limp, but someone kept hanging on. "Hahaha, seems like he's celebrated a bit too early and too much at the pub," A muffled voice spoke, but it felt really close to me. "I'll get him to his room—he should be just fine later, but for now, let him get his sleep."

"_You mean to tell me we just threw a surprise party for our newly, ordained, drunk Captain who isn't even going to attend?"_

"_At least the fella knows how to celebrate!"_

A low, collective groan echoed in the halls, and I felt like a spectator outside of my own body. I assumed it was Riku who spoke earlier, as the one who was dragging me to my room so I could rest. My body went where Riku took me, with my mind just tagging along as shotgun. I felt like I wasn't in control again, exactly like whatever the hell happened in that tent with that odd doctor.

Kicking open my door upon arrival, we trudged on through (with me limply hanging on his shoulder). I couldn't imagine how he managed to help carry me to my room, considering he was not only smaller, but much less built than I was. Nonetheless, he dropped me off at my cot, but my body nearly rolled off the edge. My friend stopped my body from falling by helping move my limbs onto the mattress; however, I didn't see the toll it took on him until he finally got a breather. He wasn't the most graceful of men, considering he dropped everything and gave out like a popped tire. I felt him fall on top of my legs, as well as his lower abdomen heaving air in his body and exhuming it. My shins were supporting his chest, while he kneeled over the edge of the bed.

"The hell do _you _eat, man?" Were the first words he spoke when he could. My gut bounced with breathless mirth, with lazy eyes dawdling over to where his face was. He was so pasty, I knew he was red in the face, but I couldn't tell with the lights out. I took in the comfort of my cot and rested my eyes, keeping my ears alert for whatever Riku might say. "You okay, Terra?"

"Yeah, I'm in tip-fucking-top shape, Riku. Not being able to stand and losing consciousness for a moment are pinpoint signs that I'm "okay"."

"You could have just said something." Grumbling under his breath, he got off only to sit himself at the end of my bed. His presence made me feel paranoid, like he was analyzing my body, so I couldn't rest my eyes for any longer. "Seriously, what's up? You're worrying me."

"You're doing too much of that, really." My mouth stretched like a cavern when I yawned, hoping the other would pick up the hint. Unfortunately, I knew subtlety wasn't this guy's area of expertise, so I had no choice but to wake myself up. Sitting up across him, I tried to keep myself awake enough to pay attention.

"Too much? Terra, you nearly fell on your face just 10 minutes ago! Maybe I should call Ansem-"

"You're not calling anyone, because you're getting the fuck out." My frustration started to bubble up within me. "I appreciate the...gesture, or whatever, but I seriously need some sleep. I probably couldn't stand up _because _of the damn medication!"

"And if I call bullshit instead?"

Because of my fatigued state, I lost all energy to rip Riku a new one. Believe me, the motivation was very much there, but I couldn't raise my arm, let alone try to make my point clear with force. "Call it whatever you like, but I'm going to sleep." I couldn't fight with him anymore. I hated to even think about it, but the thought of me getting old crossed my mind and made me shiver. Too early to think about that.

Rolling onto my side, my back was to Riku, letting him know my office hours for chit-chat were now closed. Eventually, I felt the weight of my mattress lighten as the soldier finally hopped off. I could finally get some sleep.

That is, until I felt a hand on my neck, and in turn, every hair on my body was raised with apprehension and shock. Fingers then took hold of my hair and gripped it from the side. I could have elbowed them (whoever was touching me), but my body wouldn't react fast enough.

"It's near damn impossible for some men to lie to me right to my face, but you manage to do it all the time, Terra. If you're not going to tell me why, at least do me a favor and don't look me in the eyes next time you do it. It's painful."

"Sure."

The door closed swiftly after him, and I didn't want to think about what would happen next. The sensation I felt then was unlike any other—_loneliness. _Although the feelings were stark in comparison, it was a similar experience to how I felt in Ansem's tent when he gave me that look of pity. Never had I felt this sensation before. Even when I was _physically _alone at times, I never got to this level. So what was so different this time?

I grew restless, and my body now ached for the complete opposite and wanted to move around. Muttering curses under my breath, I loathed my body for being so hard to work with. I had to move it one limb at a time to get out of the mattress. I sat at the edge, exhausted, and panting for air. Why was moving my body like moving steel?

My hand wandered on its own to my neck (I guess out of paranoia), but that weird patch on my neck still didn't pick up the touch. At the time, it felt as if my head would rupture from anymore thinking, so I didn't want to ponder about my health anymore. I felt so weak and so _pathetic. _I didn't know what was wrong with me, but I felt physically, emotionally, and mentally _drained. _Like I had a leech on me.

_"Sorry, that's my bad. It happens."_

That voice again. I pretended not to hear it within my head, but was unsuccessful, as it kept chiming in the middle of my thoughts.

_"You've had a long day. And I'm sorry for that, Terra. Honestly, if I could take it back I would. But try to get some sleep. Thinking about who I am or what I'm doing in your head won't get you a wink of it. Please. You're not the only one who's tired."_

It was that weird name. The one I muttered right before freezing up in Ansem's tent...Vaan...Vend...Ventus. _Ventus._

_ "Bingo."_

"Sure, I'll try to pretend I'm not mad and that you don't exist." Were the last words I spoke before finally succumbing to slumber's call.

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed that chapter! This one was slightly longer than the last, as I typically want my chapters to range anywhere from 7-10k. Anywho, as always, thanks for reading, and if you really enjoyed it, please leave feedback/follow/fave, it all helps! Credit to _MajorieFranklin, _for being a kickass co-author and an awesome beta. Things will be intense in the next chapter, so stay tuned!


	3. Birth by Death

"_Do you think she'll really be there?"_

"_What do you mean? Of course she will! It's her own ceremony!"_

"_Yeah, but you know how weird some of those high-and-mighty officers can be. Like, with the higher-ups having these kinds of events for no reason?"_

"_Maybe, but this is Aq-"_

"Private Tidus !" My voice roared to the soldiers outside my room before _that name _could even be uttered. The footsteps outside my door came to an abrupt halt, and for a sec, I thought the soldiers would fall on their faces with how their boots skidded on the wood.

"Y...Yes sir? Captain?"His voice grew louder as I heard him take a couple of wary steps closer towards my door. That's the thing I loved about having authority-you could scare the shit out of subordinates.

"Save your enthusiasm for the ceremony tonight, private. Way too early for that." I grumbled, still trying to wake myself up. Thanks to Tidus' wake-up call, my day started off none too well.

"Yes sir."

"Oh, wait," My mind was struggling to wake up the rest of my body, so I called out from my bed. "Send a message for me: tell Lieutenant Riku from the 1st div to show up before the reception. His escort service is needed. Say it just like that, Private."

While the footsteps trodded away, I could hear some faint grumbling, probably Tidus griping again. I would have put him in his place then, but I didn't have the time nor energy for that now.

What time I _did _have to myself, I didn't use well. Dicking around in your own quarters was hardly productive (which I only did to avoid the mass mayhem (the people cheering and being fucking obnoxious with their hollering) outside my door). Hell, I even thought of cleaning my armor just to kill some time. I was _that _desperate. The whole idea of a ceremony was just a waste of everyone's time, money, and time. If I didn't _have_ to attend this pointless function, then my sleep cycle would finally be back to normal (suffice to say, the voice in my head helped none whatsoever). However, during the time I was in my room, something important _did _happen.

In my bathroom, I locked the door behind me in case Zack or anyone else were to waltz in. Paranoia got to me, thanks to this ridiculous mark on my neck. I didn't want anyone seeing it, since it just looked _gross. _Something told me that that _thing _wasn't natural, and sure as hell didn't belong on my body.

Well, yesterday at least. "Gross" was an understatement for how it looked today.

While the color of the rash (could it even be called that?) lightened up a bit, the spread of the now violet patch worried me some. It wasn't all that noticeable-my hair from the back of my head covered most of my neck. Appearance-wise, it just looked like a little bruise. What _really _troubled me was when I touched it-it was as if I burned myself.

My mind flashed back to when I was in Ansem's tent, and went into that bizarre state of...paralysis, he called it? Anyways, I remembered this _thing _on my neck being completely numb. No matter how roughly I touched it, I couldn't sense my fingers on my neck. I didn't feel a thing.

That obviously wasn't the case then, but trying to conceal it now would do no good, as touching it felt like hell. The only thing I _could _do was try to avoid touching it.

My day wasn't all that eventful, really. Between observing the occasional confused private wander down the halls, to watching the groups of lower-tanked soldiers already heading out of the quarters for the ceremony, things were as lively as the very city I lived in. By lively, I mean less than 10 people lingered about, and half of them were cooped up in their rooms. Pretty soon, my own barracks were barren, aside from the ones who either overslept or refused to go. So I spent most of my time in my room, just lying on my bed and waited for the day to pass.

A knock on my door was my mental wake-up call to stop gaping at myself in the mirror. Swiftly, I messed with my hair in order to cover the blight on my neck. After what had happened the night prior, I didn't want to set off triggers with Riku. Last night, he had plenty of reason to suspect me for..well everything really. I pretty much lied 'bout near damn everything right to his face. I had a feeling that if we kept going at it, our relationship could crumble-so I had to stay on good terms with him.

"Terra! Open up! What are you doing, shaving your legs or something?"

"I'm so glad my knight in shining armor is actually early for once." Speaking loud enough for him to hear me, I heard something between a grunt and a chuckle outside my door. It was funny how last night's encounter could be washed away by a couple of words. People are very weird.

I unlocked the door, allowing Riku to barge on in, as he typically did. He freely made himself at home, and even laid in my bed to prove it. "You got one thing wrong-I'm actually on time. We have an hour to get ready."

"What?" I squinted at him, and then took a look at my clock. _Shit. _He was right,

"So, will you go or will you go?" He continued.

"Hah?" Riku didn't really make a lotta sense when he let his mouth run.

"Will I be forced to drag you to the damned ceremony-"

"Ha! Even _you _don't want to go!"

"Shut up, that's not the point. The point is that you _will _go. Even Leon's in on this."

_I should have known Riku was his favorite. _

"So?" Riku continued, this time, with a more serious look on his face. He was no fun to mess with when he got like this-what a downer.

I gave a wave of my hand before I went to use the restroom, wordlessly giving into Riku's endless tirade of questions. As I went on to do my _business_, I overheard Riku muttering a "_finally_".

"So, when d'ya wanna go?"

_Riku, what the everliving fuck-I'm going to strangle the hell out of your pasty ass-_

"Don't talk to me." I muttered in one breath.

"Why?"

"Uh, I'm shitting?" _Wasn't that made clear when I closed the bathroom door?_

A snort came through. "Whoa dude, too much info. Anyways, I don't wanna go to the rehearsal. It's too late for that anywho. If you're going in your armor, that'll take you at least an hour to clean. But you'll need to get dressed and have everything done in time. You know what, maybe you should-"

"RIKU!" I bellowed, and felt the awkward shift in my guts as I hit "pause" on my current activity. Too lazy to put back on my pants, I waddled to the door before creaking it slightly open to begin my threat. "Riku, you know we're cool. Like...ice cold. Like, I could have a wart on my dick, and you would be the only one to know about it."

"Terra, what the fuck?!"

Once his attention (and disgust) was gathered, I continued. "Point being, you clearly know that I trust you. However, no matter how close I am with a person, there isn't a chance in hell that I will consequently be conversing with someone while I'm urinating or defecating. That is a period of silence and solitude for me, and no one else. So for the love of all things sacred, let me shit in peace."

You think that as long as he had known me, that he would have heeded this very important fact. It was so quiet within my room that Riku's groans and muttered pouts were audible. Obviously, Riku had a lot on his mind, and a lot he wanted to say; I, on the other hand, had a lot to conceal. What a pair, huh?

My mind pondered these things, and its gears turned as it tried to come up with a way to guise my "blemish" from Riku. Its worry was taking up more space in my head, and another worry came up and asked about how much occupancy I had left in my brain to care about anything else. The thing was, I didn't like to think about things too much. The end result of thinking a lot was a guaranteed 99.9% that I would always have more questions than answers. More questions led to more thinking, and it was a vicious, never-ending cycle. So, that's why I often tune out and just _do. _It takes the hassle outta a lotta things.

When I got out, Riku gave me this kinda look whose exact words read: _"About __**fucking **__time, your Highness." _I gave a shrug in response. Like I couldn't help the habit of refusing to speak to people while I'm on the shitter. There's a time and place for everything, and that wasn't one of them. "Okay, _now _we can talk." My yawn was followed up by some stretches to get the blood going in my body. "Pertaining to your eager questions about Princess Aqua's ceremony-"

"She's not a princess."

"You all act like it." I didn't mind changing in front of Riku, and dug through what "formal wear" I did have in my wardrobe. "She must have bewitched you all or something…"

"You clearly don't know her then."

"I think I made that point crystal. Hey," I paused our conversation to ask for his advice. "What does one wear for a promotion ceremony?"

"You've been to these kind of events before, haven't you?" My friend looked up and blinked at me.

To his query, I shrugged. I honestly couldn't remember anything like that that had happened recently. Funnily enough, the images of Ansem and Riku both chiding me for skipping out on these kinda things popped up in my head. "Euh...not since Leon's promotion, nah."

"That was four years ago, Terra. Why don't you just stick to keeping it basic and wear your armor instead?"

"It would take at least two hours to clean it, and I don't have that kinda time on my hands."

"Your fault for oversleeping."

_Goddamn, you're such a prick sometimes._

"Whatever-just help me find something to wear."

I made a mental note that I should really look into getting myself clothes that weren't years old. However, Riku had a semi-decent sense of fashion, and was able to pick out things from here and there to come up with my ensemble. Almost immediately, he made me try them on. _"I don't trust you enough not to look like a fool, so you'll have to get cleared by me." _What a smug little shit.

After trying on the clothes he picked (a burgundy vest with a black button-up and slacks), I wondered why I didn't pick out something so simple myself; but there was something that was missing still.

From my bureau, I grabbed my badge I obtained when I became lieutenant : this was for more formal occasions, so it was perfect. It was a pin of my division's symbol-the wyvern-adorned in gold and crimson with copper tassels beneath it. Pinning it on my left breast, I took a look at the mirror and was pleased with my ensemble. I didn't like to be over-the-top, so I tried to keep it subtle instead. However, it wasn't everyday that I was out of my armor, so it was slightly bizarre to see me in "normal" clothing. Hell, I could never be used to the feel of cotton and polyester.

Riku sure seemed satisfied with his work. "You look sharp."

"Yeah, thanks." My gratitude was expressed as a rough pat on his shoulder. "I appreciate it. What about you though?"

"Don't you worry about me, I already have that figured out, unlike certain people who procrastinate until the very last minute."

"Fuck you."

"I'm afraid you're not my type." The lieutenant paused to wink at me-it made me shudder. "I prefer the innocent type. Now, come on. We have to pay Aqua a visit."

"Shoot me."

* * *

As I said before, the barracks were nearly empty by the time Riku decided to show up. It was even more of a ghost town when we left. Normally, there would be a coupla men picking a fight somewhere, or some scandal in the works. We may have not been the most mannered division, but we sure as hell kept things lively.

Riku made sure that there wasn't a moment of quietude between us. On and on, he drilled me about the almighty Aqua. Everything from her duties, to her favorite type of meal, even to the amount of time she spends on her hair in the morning. It was both creepy and outright ridiculous. How did he know so much about her despite never meeting her? Was there a secret fan club for Aqua? Even worse, was he the president of it? It was really strange to see him talk so much about someone with such enthusiasm. Was it adoration? A crush? I stopped my thoughts then and there, because I knew I really didn't want to venture down that road.

The ceremony was held in the fourth division's quarters, which were stationed near the outskirts of the city. Clad in the uniform, black coats the city's denizens wore, we blended in with the citizens. Following Riku's lead (as I didn't care to acquaint myself with ever going to the fourth div), he showed me the way. Taking an alleyway that eventually led us to the outskirts, I couldn't help but have mental goosebumps at the sight once we arrived.

Once you got past the city and its vibrant, neon lights, there was literally _nothing _surrounding it. All the life was hoarded in the looming skyscrapers and buildings that were only a coupla feet away from each other; but once you got past all of that, the only thing that was waiting for you was a blank slate. Pretty good incentive to keep its citizens within those towers. My eyes felt like they were in monochrome then-only blacks, whites, and greys were allowed to paint the desolate scape in front of me. The only thing I couldn't complain about was the fact that he sky wasn't that ominous shade of ebony that loomed over the city. It was just kinda like a murky grey, like dirty dishwater. Not a single living thing grew or wandered it (save me and Riku), and the land stretched on for eternity. However, I knew that was just a trick of the eye: the thick fog in the air masked the massive walls encircling this entire land. I'm not even sure if the Regime originally created them, or what their purpose was (to keep things out, or to keep them in?). The only thing I was certain of was that this place reminded me of death.

What made the whole thing even eerier was that I had this _sense _that I had been here before, which lacked any sense whatsoever. While the Resistance did leave the city to help out other organizations in other lands, we never took the direct route (the ones civilians would use) out. The only way I could have been to this place was if I took that route or if I had visited the fourth division before (which obviously, didn't happen). I was stuck on this sensation of nostalgia. My mind wandered to the now arid fields must have been like before the city was taken over by the current head. The first thing that came up was children playing at a park. It was a foreign thought, and an unfamiliar one, but this place looked like it could have been a park, yeah. For a sec, I thought I heard laughter; but Riku's mouth continued to run, so that noise kept me in touch with reality for the most part.

At this point, I had tuned him out, so whatever he said wasn't noted. It was only when he spoke my name that I listened in again.

When I saw him stop in front of me, it was too late. Instead, I was looking around to see if anyone was tailing us, but ran into Riku because of it. With a hiss, he punched my bicep before speaking again. "We're here."

I stepped to the left to see what was behind him: only a blackened stump and a pond no bigger than three feet in diameter. He had gone mad. "Euh…"

"The water," Riku stepped closer to its edge, and motioned for me to come over. "It's the way in."

"What, do you want me to fish up a door or…?"

"You jump in, dumbass. It's a portal."

I gave the water a hesitant glance before giving Riku that same look. "The grand fourth division's entryway is a pond in the middle of nowhere?"

"Clever, right?" He nodded with such fervor that I didn't bother restraining my eye rolls from then on.

And then, he jumped. As in, _into _the pond. I froze for half a minute before reality came knocking at my door, telling me my best friend just drowned himself. My gut dropped then, but my mind instantly thought back to the dream I had. The one about that boy-Ventus-falling off the edge. The only thing I knew I could do was hope that this was a dream too.

No, that wouldn't solve anything. I groaned aloud, freely cursing Riku for being such an asshole. Stepping near the edge of the pond, I stared at the water's surface-there was no telling how deep it was . I noted that there weren't any ripples on its glossy surface. I stomped my foot near it to create some, but not one tide showed on its surface. So then, it couldn't have been water. I knew that Riku told me it was a portal, but the whole thing just looked so _real. _Damn casters and their stupid illusions.

Curious, I dipped a foot in, but I didn't feel anything. However, that was before I felt a sharp tug grab a hold of my ankle and pull me down. I choked on air, in too much shock to think, let alone try to speak. Whatever had yanked me lost its grip, letting me fall and bust my ass on what I assumed was...a doormat?

"First time's always the best." His voice was practically grinning all by itself when it said those words. I looked up, and one white-haired bastard was staring me down with a shit-eating smirk. "Welcome to the fourth division, Terra."

Before I took in my surroundings, my eyes went upward to see where the hell I came from. Turns out Riku was right-the pond _was _a portal, and you _were _supposed to jump in. It was like a one-way mirror that only allowed this side of the portal to see anyone who was about to enter. Made sense, but it was so fucking sneaky of those casters.

Then looking around, the whole place looked a bit iffy. First of all, I don't even need to get started about that whole portal deal. Second, I felt like I would suffocate at the scent in this division. I didn't even know what the hell kinda scent was lingering in the air, but it was...fruity, but not sweet enough to make you gag.

"I cannot believe I'm actually doing this." I groaned under my breath, quiet enough so that Riku couldn't hear. Overall, I think the word "overwhelmed" would have described me well. I just wasn't used to everything the fourth division had, and yeah, I knew this was a special kinda occasion, but it left a strong impression on me (which confirmed my hunch that they were as loaded as they were pretentious).

There was evidence of this the second I dropped in. The portal didn't take me to some shabby underground maze of tunnels like I expected, but almost an entirely different world. Rows of tiles lined the walls and floors, and clad in the division's colors: cobalt, steel, and indigo. If that wasn't enough, the sound of classical music flooded the halls, and once I took a second to listen to it, it made the hairs on my arm rise. It's been a while since I heard music, so I wasn't sure what to make of it other than it was pretty rare.

Pairs and groups of people were all flowing towards one direction, which I was curious to find out what all the commotion was about. "Hey, should we get going?" Turning back, I asked Riku. In return, he gave me an appeased look before motioning me to the side.

"Just a heads-up before you get in there: you'll be expected to congratulate Aqua personally for her promotion to seeress. Don't screw it up. And use the things I told you about her to make a good impression."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you." I waved my hand with a sigh. "But wait, I thought she was a Captain?"

"She's both. She's been in the Resistance since she was young, so she holds both ranks. Maybe if you would actually listen, you wouldn't have to ask."

"That's why you're here, aren't you?" I sent a wink his way, which surprisingly kept him quiet. But I didn't forget the real reason why he was here.

My hand intuitively went to touch my neck, which no longer burned. Huh. I guess that meant I was okay now. Hell, I didn't know _what _to think of it.

"You okay?" He was a sharp one. "You need a minute?"

"What for?" I patted the hand on my shoulder away. "I'll just be sitting on my ass the whole time. I can wait 'til tomorrow for my check-up. I'm fine."

"If you say so. Come on, the second division will hog all of the food if we don't get to our seats first."

I wasn't sure how many times Riku had been in here, but he was clearly familiar with the place well enough to not get lost. I followed his lead, and hall by hall we traversed, all while the music gradually grew louder, while the scent of food made my mouth water. Riku led me to the ballroom through many of its entrances, and all I could think was, "What the hell kinda division has a fucking _ballroom_?"

It was something else. The whole place was packed, on _both_ floors. Everyone's eyes would go towards the amphitheatre, which was complete with its own orchestra pit. Behind them was where everyone was sitting. I hated that it was higher-ranked officers only. Up above was everyone else. The second floor was farther away from the stage, but it held more seats. Some were lucky enough to have personal booths on the side, but I guessed that those were for some big-wigs. The sight of it all overwhelmed me. It was really over-the-top and totally unnecessary.

"_Sir?_" One of the female servers came up to Riku and I with a smile that rivaled most girls. However, once I took a closer look at her, I could see her smile was strained and eyes weary. She look liked she needed a break. "_May I help you two gentlemen?_"

"Yeah, uh, where do we sit?" I asked plainly, but the girl tilted her head at me like a confused dog.

"_It didn't say on your invitations?_"

I coped her look this time. "What invita-"

Riku cut me off with a hand in my face. "Miss, what my friend here is trying to say is that he's hopelessly lost. You know how the third division is." Both of them laughed at that crack, while I mocked the joker's smug-ass face. "I'm a personal friend of the Lady . It's Riku."

"_Just a moment._" She held up a petite finger before pressing it to her headset. "_Seating for a Riku plus guest?_"

"Actually, it's Captain Terr-_umph!_" Riku had this habit of cutting me off frequently with his palm.

"Uh..huh, ok, thanks Lucille." She then turned to us. "Gentlemen, your seats are on the first floor, table 11."

* * *

As we made our way to our seats, I exchanged punches with Riku for making me an ass out of me (he argued that I did that all by myself, so that earned him another bruise). When we sat down, I eyed the tempting bottle of liquor across me with a deadly desire. It was a blessing if you could find alcohol anywhere on the third division, with as many pigs over there who gulp it down in a single swig. Of course, I couldn't have even that, thanks to the bastard who sat next to me and slapped my hand away. "Look," he said, getting my attention. "I think she's about to show."

I looked over to where everybody else was staring. The music ended by then, and the level of murmurs were starting to rise as the silence grew. There were some light footsteps on stage, and I swore everyone leaned just a little bit out of their seats all at the same time; but it was just a moogle (didn't they usually fly, though?) who hobbled up to the center stage. "_If the following could please come up on stage to give their congratulations to our Lady, kupo._" It then began to call out a list of names of high-ranked officers from each division. I noticed that from the people it had called up so far, it was Captain rank and up. So did that mean _I _had to get up on stage?

"_Captain Terra of the third division_."

"Don't screw things up." Riku whispered to me as I got up. I slipped a rough slap to the side of his face in my smooth transition.

* * *

I felt so out-of-place then.

_Why am I even up on this stupid stage? Wait, what was I supposed to do? What do I say? Is there some official gesture thing I was supposed to give? Goddamn, why didn't I get some kind of memo about this?_

"Looks like I lost 50. _Goddamn_, captain, why'd you have to show?"

I peered over the person to my right and saw Xigbar leering at me. Even _he _was here? Still, I couldn't look like a fool in front of my co-worker (could I even call him that?) "Live and in the flesh. You be good now," I chided to the other captain, who cackled to himself. What a loon.

There was fanfare then, which made me want to step to the side to see who came up on stage. I couldn't move though, since no one else did, so I didn't want to be that one idiot who fucked up . I told myself I wouldn't care about what people think, but I didn't know it would be in front of the entire Resistance watching my every move. The sea of whispers and giddy faces of people up in the front helped none. My eyes searched for Riku, who was busy making ridiculous faces at me so I could break character. I'll admit, I was tempted to snicker, but I held it in.

"_You've grown up so much, Aqua. I'm proud of you. Eraqus would be too, without a doubt."_

"That's...wow, that means a lot to me. Thank you so much."

_I never pictured you to be the sentimental type, miss Aqua. What a prima donna, sucking up to people like that. I bet you're stuck-up. Maybe that's how her division is loaded. She already sounds like the type to kiss someone's ass. How pathetic._

"Oh, you're Captain Terra, right?"

"Yeah, whaddaya…"

"_Hm?_" Full lashes blinked up at me, and I thought I nearly squinted at the ridiculously bright shade of indigo. Goddamn_, _she was so..._blue._ I didn't even know it was possible for someone to have blue hair, let alone that bright shade of it. Same thing went for her eyes. I snapped out of it, and cleared my thought to bring myself back to reality.

She was _nothing _like the greedy, pompous, narcissistic hag in charge of the fourth division that I had pictured in my head. Light-she was _full _of it. What really caught me off-guard was how she carried herself : she seemed like a swan swimming with a pack of wolves watching and waiting from the lake's edge. She didn't seem real, and I was trying to register the fact that she was. The end result: my brain short-circuited.

"Uh…" I started out, then realizing everyone's eyes were on me. "What I mean to say was... congratulations on becoming Captain, your Elder...ness..e. ."

The entire amphitheatre was quieter than Death itself. However, breaking that silence was Riku and his cackles that bounced from wall to wall. I tried to keep my composure, as well as that frozen look on my face as I waited what felt like _years _for Aqua to respond. Her plump lips were tucked and rolled into a thin line that I couldn't decipher. Not to mention those eyes felt as if they had never left my body-wait, was she checking me out?

A sound (that strangely sounded like a mouse sneezing) slipped out of the woman when she stifled her laughter with a glove. "I'm sorry, I'm supposed to be serious." She held up her hand as she tried to regain her own composure. She was blushing a little. It was cute. "Anyways, the pleasure is all mine, Captain. Congratulations to you as well." I could see why so many people like her then-her light was contagious. Plus, she was pretty hot. Even with her division's armor on, you could still tell she had a nice body underneath.

"_Don't even think about it, dude." _The (other) voice in my head chimed, but I chose to ignore it.

"It's an honor." I nodded, giving her a smile in return. What happened next, I didn't see coming. Like, at all.

She stepped closer to me, and placed a hand on my cheek. Cupping it around my ear, she whispered: "Meet me in the foyer after this, okay?"

"Sure." I gave another nod, and watched her resume the ceremony as if nothing had happened. I caught faces of gossip in the tables below. Far off, I saw a thumbs-up from one white-haired bastard. I swore to myself I would give him the beatdown of a lifetime next time I saw him.

Several "Congratulations"'s and "Thank You"'s later, I headed to my table. With Riku grinning from ear to ear, he didn't say a single word, because the look on his face said it all. Which, if I had to translate it, roughly said: "_You're the biggest, fucking idiot in the world but you managed to redeem yourself, and I'm feeling like a proud papa right now."_

"'Fess up." Riku freely poured himself a shot, and one for me. "What sweet nothings did she whisper in your ear?"

"Shut the hell up." My eyes rolled at him while I downed my first taste of alcohol for the night. "I'll be back, I just have to talk to someone real quick." If I told him what had happened, I knew he wouldn't let me leave until I answered every question he could fire. "By the way, where's the foyer?"

"Down the hall, to your right. Why?"

"I'll tell you later." I shrugged, and saw him quickly relocating to some other tables.

Little did I know that I would never get to tell Riku what really happened that night.

* * *

Aqua was already at the foyer, but she seemed plenty occupied talking to some servers who were practically basking in her presence. I realized now that she was definitely one of those charismatic ones that people flock to. Once she saw me, the Captain gestured for us to head to a private booth on the side. I followed suit and sat down across from her, closing the door behind us.

Once we got in, I realized then how loud my breathing was. I tried to mute it (or at least not make it quite as obnoxious), but I couldn't help the fact I had deep lungs.

"So…" I began, then looking the captain in the eye. She seemed as curious about me as I was her (which was a lot). "You wanna tell me why you called me over?"

"Yes, um, I didn't want to bring up such a touchy subject in front of everyone. I hope you don't mind." She was well-mannered.

"Yeah, not a prob. But what _specifically _did you need to talk to me about?"

"If I may, can I take a look at it?"

"At what?"

She blinked. "Your infection. On your neck."

My hand lamped over that part of my skin, almost as if I was a girl trying to keep my dress down from the air vent under me. "How do you-"

"I can help." She cut me off, and there was this look in her eyes that pretty much said the same thing. "If you will let me."

I stared at her for a moment before taking my hand off of the blight. Turning my neck to the side, I leaned towards her some so she could get a better look. I couldn't see what she was doing, but I had a gut feeling that this wasn't the first time she had seen something like this. What else could explain her calm disposition?

"So, what's the diagnosis, doc?"I asked her once I saw Aqua sit back down in my peripheral vision.

"I'm…" She returned the look with a sense of bewilderment. "That thing on your neck-it's proof you're _infected_. It's one of the symptoms. It's where they bit you, right?"

Now, it was my turn to laugh. My scoffs came out dryly. "I'm sorry, _what? _Just what are you talking about? Symptoms of _what_, exactly? Am I sick?"

"Captain, that's much more than just some cold you have-"

"Then what is _it_, exactly?"

Aqua shut up then. The little gulp she took wasn't a good sign. Neither were those baby blues darting from one side of the booth to the other, and then to me. "Look, I don't know much about it, but I do know a man who does. Have you heard of a man by the name of Ansem?"

"Ansem? Yeah, a friend of mine took me to see him after I…" I wasn't entirely sure on _what _exactly happened before that, save for the mission Riku and I were working. It was all a giant blur, but the name "Ventus" was connected to it somehow.

"Captain," She began again, with sincerity in her eyes. "I know you're probably stressed with all of this sudden information, but," The female paused, then releasing air from her puffed cheeks. "Just hang in there." A petite hand lightly touched mine.

* * *

"_I'm so sorry, Aqua."_

_What are you apologizing for?_

No answer.

* * *

I really didn't know what to say, or how to respond. Her face was full of _pity. _She was just like Ansem. And I felt so _alone. _

A knock broke the quietude between us. "_S'cuse me, Lady Aqua?_"

"Yes?" She chirped as if nothing was wrong. "What is it?"

"_You have a guest awaiting at the entrance. They have requested your immediate presence._"

What she did then stuck with me for as long as I can remember. Completely breaking character, she rolled her eyes up to the high heavens and _'Fuck' _was freely muttered as she scooted on out the booth. Turns out our Lady wasn't so lady-like after all. Kinda hot.

Before leaving, she turned to say one last bit to me. "Captain, please do not succumb. It'll be a hell of a road you'll have to walk now, but please persevere. If not for yourself, then for me."

_What the fuck lady, I just met you. Guess it is true what they say about the hot ones._

"Euh...sure." I nodded, telling her what she wanted to hear. Even if it didn't make any sense, I didn't want to tell the pretty lady no.

* * *

She had left, and I was on my way to catch up with Riku. God, what a night this had been. I knew he wouldn't believe the things I would tell him. I couldn't wait to say that his sweet idol of the fourth div was actually...borderline bipolar. Part of me wished she could have stuck around longer so we could have talked more-she might have had a few screws loose, but she was still interesting (and hot). My mind started to work then, and I _just _realized that she noticed my wound, despite me covering it up with my hair. Was she really so sharp?

Riku's table was in view, and I called out to the guys over there. They crowded around the table gambling, and jeered at me to hurry up to be in the next game. Where Riku was, I hadn't a clue , but I had a feeling he would be back soon.

What Aqua said lingered in the back of my mind still, despite me trying to focus on the present to ignore it. I opened my mouth to place a bet, but yelped in pain at something biting my neck all of the sudden. I fell like a tree that had been cut down, and my entire body was stiff. _Joy_. I got to experience this all over again.

Before I could call for help, the "help" was taken out in one fell swoop: the wall west of them exploded, and the debris from it either squished them like bugs or flung them to the opposite wall. Everyone was frenzying now, and I felt _pitiful _not being able to even lift a finger. Looking around, I tried to see who the "bad guys" were, but the explosion had me shielding my eyes from flying pieces of wall. I struggled to do something-I _persevered_, but it was futile. My eyelids felt heavy then, and this throbbing pain at the back of my head started to arise. The sounds around me slowly started to all swirl together.

"_This the one?_"

"_Indeed. Looks like she wasn't lying._" A pair of boots walked closer to my face, and then down towards my body. They remained at my side before they rolled me over to, belly-up. I was able to see the face of the man who was smirking down at me, but my vision remained blurred and hazy. What the fuck?

Then crouching down, he gave me this..._condescending_ look that maybe me want to spit in his eye. A gloved hand grabbed my throat, then forcefully turning my head to the side, where my blight was visible to him.

"He'll do nicely. That dosage should have him out for a couple of hours, so we'll have time to get him adjusted. _If not._.._Aqua can…_"

_Aqua? Who's there? What...is this I'm...feeling?_

By then, my eyelids were drooping, and I could barely strain to keep them open. The last thing I remember was the last words that man said.

"Captain Terra, was it? What an honor. My, I can't wait to get started on you. But we'll catch up soon. Good night."

* * *

A/N: Hello all! Sorry for the late update, but chapter three is finally here! Chapter four will be, euh...well, let's just say this whole chapter was the tip of the iceberg. Terra has no idea what's coming to him next. But I will say Aqua will be playing a huge role in it;D

As always, please favourite/review/follow (it really does motivate me to continue writing so please!) and share to your friends BECAUSE THERE IS REALLY NOT ENOUGH TERRA/AQUA FICS, YEAH?

And again, this fic is co-authored by the talented MajorieFranklin.


	4. Betray, Betrayed, Will Betray

There was no feeling I was starting to detest more than being alone. Up until now, it was completely foreign to me. _Correction_: up until the past coupla days. You know what else is "just a coincidence"? The fact that I was drugged, kidnapped, and then placed into this prison-like chamber all by some creep(s). What they wanted with me, I hadn't a damned clue. I knew better than to think too long about it, since my mind could jump _canyons_ from one point to another.

I didn't know where to start. The questions in my head kept popping up like weeds: Where was I? What was I doing here? How did I end up here? Who brought me here? _Why_ did I end up here?

None of it made any sense, and it pissed me off. My body was tempted to shut off everything and everything around me just so my mind could catch up with reality and make some understanding of it. However, I had the feeling that the pieces were all in place, but I just couldn't connect them. There was some message to be cracked from it, but what that was, I couldn't tell you.

I was pondering all of this while lying on some slab of ivory that was obviously used by someone before me. The dried, caked liquid pools in some spots told me that much. It looked like a thicker kind of blood, and curiosity got the best of me, so I had to figure out what this funky substance was. Turns out, if you try to scrape it off, obsidian pus squirts out of it to greet you, and its odor was something akin to death. It got on my gloves and suit, and I hastily wiped it on my hips. The stain hid in the dark grey of my bodysuit, until I realized that I hadn't worn a body suit in my entire life.

I certainly wasn't wearing a bodysuit to Aqua's promotion ceremony, so whoever took me definitely fitted me into this weird outfit. It was as skintight as could be without my skin suffocating; yet, I could still move around with flexible ease and it was airy enough to even do exercise in. Looking down, I saw that I had a amber and steel grey theme going on, and for the most part, the lighter color was on the more inward muscles, like on my inner arms and legs. I didn't know its purpose, but it definitely was infused with something. The smell of it told me that much. Or maybe I just wasn't used to wearing clean clothes. Point being, it was nothing like I had seen before.

In the 'prison' around me (which was actually a really nice suite, kudos to the interior decorator of my kidnappers), I searched for some kind of reflective surface to check out myself in. Where I was, the little island of ivory, had nothing special, save for a drawer that was locked (why give it to me if the key isn't included?). Behind it was a camera perched in the corner above. I walked over and eyed it suspiciously, wondering why the hell a camera would be here. Why would I be monitored and who is keeping tabs on me? More weeds, more weeds. So, I decided to check out the rest of the space.

It was only a matter of time before I found another camera, this time, in front of a door. I suppose for a lack of a visitor's log, closed-circuit television was the next best thing. However, with the "door", I noticed that there wasn't a handle. The only thing that made it remotely close to a door was the fact that it had a space above to see what was on the other side. The space was barred though, and made sure that there was no way to escape. I didn't want to think about the possibility that I would be trapped here, because I knew that would lead me to a hostile state. So I remained calm and decided to look around for any other clues.

One good thing about my room is that it came with a personal bed and bath (and complimentary security cameras!). All the rooms had this very pale white theme going on, but it didn't feel empty, like you would expect. It was welcoming in a weird way. I finally found a mirror in the bathroom, and once I took a look at my new threads, I had to admit: I didn't look half bad in a body suit. Despite being really skintight, I was surprised at how breathable the garment was, as if it was my own skin. Everything below my jaw line was covered by the suit, and where the parts were colored amber (mostly the underside of my muscles and both sides of my torso), it seemed a little transparent. The only problem I had was how to get it off. There weren't any zippers or buttons I could get out of. I tried pulling at the only opening at my neck, but it wouldn't budge! It was like it was glued to my skin! My thoughts instantly went to, "_Dear God, how am I gonna piss? I can't piss myself in this suit! Fuck, what if I have a really fucking annoying itch between my ass cheeks and I can't get it? What about the other kind of 'itch'? Whoever made this wanted me to suffer."_

Putting my personal wardrobe malfunctions to the side, there was one more thing that was weird enough to get my interest. On the east side of the suite, there was a door, but get this: no handle. No doorknob, buzzer, or hole in the wall to let me out. In other words, I was here for _good. _I knew as soon as I got to its edge. Red flags were raised once I got the memo that this room was designed to keep people in, and not out.

However, that wasn't the only piece of evidence supporting that theory: in the small, barred window of the door, there was an ivory building in front, but only one of its walls was facing me. Not any entryway, portal, door, _anything. _And here's the kicker: there was nothing connecting my mini prison/suite to that building. Yeah, I know it's vague, bizarre, and confusing to explain to you, but that was just it! It _was _all of the above! Hell, even _I _didn't know what to make of it. So don't ask me shit about it. All I knew was that I was undeniably and utterly _fucked._

I was only certain of one thing: it wouldn't help to overthink things. That never got me far, especially when contemplating about my very near and screwed future. I had to accept that things would probably be at a standstill. So for now, I knew I had to play my cards right. The thing was, I hated being unsure. I was typically a guy who was confident in his decisions. Not knowing what to do just didn't sit right with me. Neither did waiting around for something to happen. I am an active force, not someone who just sits idly waiting for things to happen. Although I didn't know anything, I would be damned if I wasn't going to do anything. So I did the only thing I could do and tried to remember what the hell happened last night. My life wasn't clichéd enough so that a hangover could have been the cause of my current predicament (it would be great if it was).

_Okay, I remember being at Aqua's promotion ceremony thing. I only had __**one **__drink, so an amnesiac hangover was out of the question. Euh…what else…shit. Did I really fuck up in front of the entire four divisions? Why am I still feeling so fucking stupid a whole day later? What the __**fuck**__ was I thinking? Was I fucking stupid? Okay Terra, let's move on from the past, you're getting off-track. What next…okay, after I made an ass outta myself, Aqua asked to talk to me in private, and we had that weird "chat". She was kinda kooky, but also…refreshing? Our time definitely got cut short. If I got to meet her again, I would for sure come up with something better to say next time. After that, I looked for Riku, but he wasn't there…that's when it happened. Back then, I thought something had bit me, but now that I look back on it, it was probably something like a needle? But who would shoot me with that? Most likely whoever brought me here. Come to think of it I remember feeling really fatigued right after the explosion happened. Maybe I was too distracted to even pick up on it at the time, so no wonder it caught me off-guard. Whatever I was hit with, no doubt it was the cause of me passing out. Okay, that solves cause, but what about culprit?_

_ Wait…there was __**him.**_

* * *

_He'll do nicely. That dosage should have him out for a couple of hours, so we'll have time to get him adjusted."_

* * *

"That sonuvabitch! He was behind it all!"I felt myself fill to the brim with rage. Why did he do it? Who the fuck was he? Why did he choose me? What the hell was he planning to do? Was this some sick, cosmic joke? What did he gain by capturing me? It all made absolutely no sense, and I think that's what pissed me off the most.

_"Sounds like the new meat finally came to. Gotta admit, wasn't sure if he would live through the transition."_

After hearing the voice (which was hardly any kind of welcome at all in this kooky-ass place), I stood in silence, questioning myself if I had really lost my mind (and sanity). Was that the same one I heard ping in my head sometimes? No…this voice was definitely more malicious. At least with the other one, I couldn't make out what the hell it wanted from me. But _this _one clearly enjoyed the pain of others.

I needed to get out of here.

_"Subject 205, settle down." _A woman's voice talked back to the taunting one.

The same wicked voice spoke again. "Ooh, how chilly y'are today, Viv. And I liked it better when you called me by my _human _name. Why the change, babe? Hm, lemme guess:" As weird as it was to describe, the voice literally _purred, _like gossip was fueling every fiber of its being. "You and your lover have a quarrel? Don't lie, because it's getting chilly in here and I know damn well what that means."

That tone of mischief was definitely real. As was that other voice. It was much more poised and really nostalgic? But hell, they were having a conversation with each other! There was no denying that the two of them were real (even if I didn't want them to be).

_"That's enough."_ The female voice responded in such a way that made it seem nostalgic? Regardless, I know I couldn't shrug off the voices as me simply losing it—labeling all of this as just an episode of temporary insanity would be the easy way out. Obviously, I'm not one to get things done the quick way, regardless even if I was a loose canon. Instead, I stayed sharp and listened for any hints from whoever was talking that could help me out.

Subject 205, or whatever their name was, kept running their mouth. "C'mon, don't be such an ice queen. And here I was thinking you'd have some pep in your step to see me."

_"What a bold claim." _A single scoff came before heels clicked on the floor's surface. Then there was some clatter, and it sounded like a metal tray dropping. "_You daily fix. Try not to waste it this time—Vexen nearly froze the lab because you ruined his experiment on you. Not that it wasn't an entertaining sight in the least."_

"Heh, I think I rubbed off on you some. You're more mischievous than you used to be."

_"Regardless, I'm not kissing up to Vexen's ass for anything. I'll take anything over having to hear him go on and on about his experiments."_

"Not like you have a choice."

"_Hm…I do. I just choose to play along."_

"Until?"

_"Well…until the circle's broken."_

"Hah?"

_"Nevermind. Vanitas , do me a favor and take the meds for tonight. If my gut's right, it's gonna be a hell of a night for me."_

"I may or may not totally reject that suggestion." Vanitas scoffed, and almost laughed, judging from the tone in his voice. "Depends on how my mood's like. I'm not one to keep promises, yanno. What's in it for me?"

_"I'm not going to beg you to take the substance that's going to keep you alive."_

"Tch, whatever. You worry too much. You already know I'm immune to whatever shit you shot me up with. What, has the ice around your heart finally melted?"

_"I'm not bargaining with you—either take them or don't." _Whoever "Viv" was, she clearly wasn't going to put up with Vanitas' shit. Huffing, I heard quick heels walk away.

Vanitas gave a last call—which was left unanswered. "I can't keep any promises, Vivienne, but I'll do my part if _you _try to mind your claws off of Cid next time." His snickers bounced off the walls and occupied the empty space. It made me feel really uncomfortable. As did the sound of the woman's heels. It more or less reminded me of a teacher hell bent on releasing every ounce of fury on her students—_in heels. _Picking up from context clues, I assumed that she and this "Cid" were obviously close, and also a topic she would rather keep quiet.

* * *

"_Subject 924." _The cycle of heels and metal repeated itself

"_Subject 681." _It was starting to grate on my nerves by the second.

_Subject 750." _Why was everything pissing me off now?

"_Subject 826." _Why the _hell _did that voice sound so familiar?

_ "Subject 344." _I just couldn't figure it out.

* * *

_ "Subject 344?" _A period of silence ensued. She asked once more, in that tone that was so fucking nostalgic to my ears. Why was her voice so special? _"Subject 344, respond." _Again, nothing. Looks like she would continue to have a bad night.

And then, I heard a quiet _"Oh". _I barely caught it, but I knew she said it. Her heels were really noisy then, much more louder than they were several "subjects" ago. They stopped, but the whirring of a machine followed it, and some cranking in the background started to grow louder by the second. It came to the point where I pressed my ear against the door so I could try to make out whatever was happening, but that wasn't getting me far. The barred opening above me could offer me a better view. Even as tall as I was, I had to stand up on my toes to even see the bottom ledge of the barred window on my door. Although I couldn't see much, I did realize that the machine that was making all of that sound was all because it was extending a bridge that now connected the other side of the building my door faced to my suite. The heels were coming closer, and it clicked in my mind then that _I _was subject 344. Vivienne was asking for _me _(but how the hell could I project my voice _all the way _to where she was?). What did she want with me? But I also figured that Vivienne was a vital key in getting me out.

However, when I looked over the barred edge, I didn't see anybody or a body. "Hey Vivienne!" I called out, thinking as I acted first and tried to get her attention. "You mind letting me out, sweetheart? It's a bit too-"

"_Back away._" A soft, but sturdy voice replied-was that her? "_I need to open the door._"

And so I did just that. It wasn't surprising (given how twisted this place was) that the 'door' of my room was just a façade. The actual door was guised as a part of it, and was nearly half the size, but it was big enough for anyone to get through. Me, I might have to crouch a little.

When it opened, I was expecting some stingy bitch with a succubus-like mentality. I dunno, when someone says 'keep your claws off' of someone, that's what I would infer from them. But what would a woman like that be doing around here? I hadn't a damned clue. I placed bets in my head over her possible appearance. Whether she was a redhead or a blonde, whether she had a dark or light complexion, whether she sat back or took charge-these were some of the little details my mind was trying to piece together for her image.

But sure enough, those ideas didn't even come close to the woman who stood in front of me. None of them included her being 5'5", with long, cobalt tresses, and that ridiculous shade of baby blue in her eyes that made me want to shield my eyes away. We were mirrors for half a minute and reflected each other's facial expressions perfectly. I couldn't wrap my head around it. I didn't know it then, but _she_ was the key, not Vivienne. And it was then I realized,

"Aqua?"

* * *

That I had been fucked up the ass this whole time.

* * *

That thought didn't cross my mind until much, _much, _later. Then, I was just relieved to see another human being, let alone someone I recognized. "What are you doing here? And...where is 'here', exactly?" As soon as I asked one question, another popped into my head. "Why am I here and more importantly, why are _you _here?" I was hoping Aqua would could clear some of it up because I sure as hell couldn't crack the code.

But she said nothing. Not a single word came out of her mouth, Her eyes averted mine, even when I walked around her to try to look her in the eye. Something was off, I knew this much. Granted, this place had a bizarre vibe to it anyway, but for Aqua, it just didn't click in my mind. That is, until I decided to look at her clothes.

White lab coat (even with a couple of blood splatters here and there that made me raise my brow); maroon gloves that went up to her elbows, not like the armored ones she worn at her ceremony; a particularly feminine outfit (a semi-transparent periwinkle blouse with a bow and pencil skirt); and last but not least, the heels that announced their arrival before they made their entrance. I caught the fact that their bottom edges were caked with some kinda grime, and it made me wonder what the hell this woman did to get so dirty. However, when she spoke, it was as if everything had frozen for a moment.

"Subject 344? Are you alright?"

She was with _them_—whoever the people were that did this to me. Whoever locked me up and put me in this weird place and into this suit. If I was a subject, and she was over there in that lab coat, then…I was afraid to spell out the punchline. I didn't know what was going to happen to me. That feeling of fleeting uncertainty—it's enough to eat you from the inside-out. I lied. Hell, I lied to myself. I _knew _what it all meant. I just didn't want to line the pieces up.

Acting rashly would get me nowhere; there was a wary look in Aqua's eyes with just a touch of fear. If she really _was _affiliated with whoever put me here, then there she was probably sent here to keep me under check. "I want you to explain what's going on, Aqua." Trying to control my feelings of confusion, and maybe even rage, I gave her a chance to explain her side of the story.

But that wasn't happening. The only thing she accomplished was making my blood pressure rise.

With a nod, she said, "My name is not Aqua, but Vivienne. And you are subject 344, formerly known as Terra." Her lips as if they were stitched into the smallest, tightest line. I didn't recognize this Aqua. Vivienne. Whoever. Point is, the woman that stood in front of me was not the same one I met at that party.

"What do you mean "formerly known"—I'm still Terra!"

"The _real_ Terra died a long time ago."

"How can you even say that?" My fingers curled in my palm, with my nails starting to scrape the meat on them. "I'm right here, aren't I? I'm _alive, _in front of you, right?! How can you say I don't exist when I'm talking, living, and breathing right _to _you?! How fucked up are you to deny that I exist?!"

"You were dead the moment you were infected! You're nothing but a rotting corpse!" Aqua snarled at me, and now both of our fangs and claws were out. Guess I was spot-on with my hunch of her being crazy. "You might have some semblance of your humanity left, but it won't last you long. Your ignorance will be your downfall—remember this. And on that same note, you've no right to talk to me as your equal, given the scum you are."

I was getting real tired of this superiority bullshit thing she had going on. I didn't know this Aqua (hell if I knew the real one), and I didn't care to. "You're a real fucking gem." Chuckling in disbelief, I dismissed the urge to give a shit about anything at that time. "Something else."

"I don't care. I didn't come in here to chat. I need to give you your vaccines." Aqua/Vivienne (why was she even going by another name?) huffed before coming near me. I gave up trying to make sense of this place. It didn't mean that I couldn't fuck with Aqua's head though.

"You knew, didn't you?" The question was shot like a dart, and Aqua was the board. I wanted to hit dead-center. "About what would happen at the party? You knew, right?"

"I told you I'm not the woman you think I am."

"Understatement of the fucking year." Another dry laugh came out. I was starting to find her more repulsive as time went on. Reasons to dislike her, and even hate her were slowly trickling in my mind. The more I thought about it, the more power my emotions had over me, despite me trying to keep them in check. "You trying to avoid the fact that their blood is on your hands ain't gonna help. Sure, you might do hell knows what to me, but your guilt is eventually gonna eat away at you, bit-by-bit."

"You don't know me." Her voice was monotonous, and lacked life. Either I struck something, or she was about to unleash hellfire on me. I took it as a sign to keep going.

"You probably don't even know yourself anymore—I don't know what pathetic lie you've spun around yourself, but it's not going to protect you from the truth—you sold out the Resistance! And for what?! You _knew _there would be an ambush, and you decided to conveniently leave _right before _it. I might die in this place, but at least I'm not dying with betrayal over my—"

I felt my lips zip up, and heard not a word. The urge to put the traitor in her place was very much there, but I literally couldn't open my mouth. Nor could I move. Was this another episode? What the hell kind of infection did I have to make me act this way? Aqua came close and crouched then, and all I could do was muster a deep growl to tell her to back the fuck off.

I couldn't talk then, and it then hit me that I physically was unable to. Everytime I tried to move my tongue, it felt as if it would swell up just to stop me from talking. My lips were sewn shut with whatever magics she casted over me. My body started to panic then at not being able to breathe, but I then remembered that I had nostrils. The air that came out my nose was obnoxiously loud, and for a good reason-that evil witch literally robbed me of my voice!

"Be quiet." She said in barely a whisper as her fingers fidgeted with the suit's collar around my neck. "They're watching." There was a _click, _and I felt the cloth around my neck loosen and unfurl. I could move my mouth and my lungs didn't feel as compressed then. I was about the ask what the fuck just happened until I felt something like a bite on my infection. "I'm checking your vitals to monitor your health. I'll send a sample out for testing, and from there, you'll undergo a series of experiments."

While taking a needle of blood from my neck, she spoke in her regular voice. For a second, she looked directly at me, and then away, as if she was sorry. "_Find the mage and you'll find your answers._" Taking the needle out, she did that thing where doctors flicked it (for whatever reason, I didn't know why?). "Behave now."

Once more, I opened my mouth to say something, but the sounds of footsteps made me shut my trap. Plus, there was a certain _look _Aqua had to her once she noticed someone was coming; in general, her face stayed the same, but her eyes had changed in demeanor, and I recognized it—from when she left the party. Could it have been the same person? Whoever it was, Aqua clearly had a bone to pick (if she was showing her contempt to _me, _of all people).

The footsteps stopped right at the door before it creaked open. Aqua seemed none too interested, and had her back to the guest the whole time. She got some bandages from the pockets of her coat and applied them to my neck. Her touch was rough, and a bit chilly. "Not. A. _Word_." She said the three little words in a tone a little over a whisper. Then, she went back to the prep table, fidgeting again with the clipboard she brought in, jotting down some notes; however, I was more interested in who my guest was.

"_Vivienne, you're wasting too much time on…oh. I don't believe we've had a proper introduction." _The man walking towards me…it was _him—_the man I last saw at the party. He had the same short black hair, and that…really cocky look in his eyes. I recognized him, definitely, but this was probably my first time seeing him sober. "Surely you remember me? I don't blame you if you do—that tranquilizer was enough to put a Basilisk to sleep. So, I'll introduce myself." The man walked over to where I was sitting and extended a hand, which I didn't care to shake. I felt like biting it, if anything. "Cid Raines, commander of the Regime and head of the research department, where you're at currently. Your handle is Subject 344, but if I recall…Terra, wasn't it?"

"Go fuck yourself." I nearly spat in his face. _Nearly. _

Whites came out in a smile that made me want to gag. He was eyeing me like a show dog. I saw a faded scar right behind his ear when he turned, but his short hair was long enough to cover it. Now Aqua (or this _new _Aqua), was bad in terms of sticking her nose up, but all of that paled in comparison to this guy's arrogance and pride. "Terra, Terra, let's not be hostile now." He spoke while making a full circle around me like a predator to its prey. "My only aim is to help you exceed your potential by a tenfold. Let's be honest, you were merely doing chores and busywork over at that pathetic, little organization—they didn't see what you're _truly _capable of. Why they would have you do such menial tasks when you could be out in the front lines gaining power and glory—it doesn't add up, right? Surely you've thought this?" He gave a shrug in conclusion. Already, he was messing with my head—and he was good at it. Clearly, he's done this before, I was no new feat. He reminded me of a crow. Weirdest metaphor, I know, but he eyed me like a crow to some jewelry on the ground. They were cunning, too. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that this guy was behind everything.

I let the gears in my head turn before I came to that conclusion. "So you're saying that you're the one who swooped me up in your claws? That you're the man I need to hate?"

At this, his eyes widened slightly, and the smirk made a boomerang appearance. "If you do, it won't make things on your part any easier, Terra. I'm offering you a prime opportunity—you're lucky, as not all of our subjects get this opportunity."

"Yeah, I'll start feeling lucky once I'm able to bash that smug fucking look of your face in. Then I can say that Lady Luck is on my side."

"I look forward to it." Teeth stained with pride shone back at me. "Hopefully…you'll still be human by then." He slipped the last part in so slyly, but I knew better than to think too much about it.

To Aqua, he spoke, "Take him to the loon when you're finished here." But I could have cared less about his words. What really caught my eye was how disgusting this man was, as well as _she. _While the freak and I were talking, the woman was nearby, but not involved. I could tell she was messing around with something on the table, but I didn't care enough to pay much attention to her. However, when _he_ came over, I felt utterly repulsed that she was there in the first place.

My stomach churned when his fingers slithered around her hips so discreetly. Chin perched on her collar bone, but mouth uttered words I couldn't make out from behind; but the shoulder that tensed up upon hearing them made me guess that his presence was unwanted (especially that close). She too, said something I couldn't make out, but her body didn't resist his advances. Granted, she really couldn't get away when she was sandwiched in between a table and a man twice her size. Still, she wasn't fighting back, and I think I felt frustrated about that. Why wouldn't she..? Yeah, he might be her boss, and yeah, he could easily dominate in a physical fight. Which meant…she didn't have the _will _to fight.

I took another hard look at her and saw it—she was giving in. When a hand moved away from the rear of her coat and pulled it away so his hips could meld to her ass, it was plain and clear. I guess I was just stupefied that I didn't put two and two together. It was clear to me now. Vanitas chiding her about "keeping her claws off", as well as that look she made whenever Cid was about to come, the whispers they exchanged…did she seriously have a thing for _this _guy? Clearly. Because when he grinded and gave a powerful enough thrust to shake the table she gripped onto, there was that _look _again, and I knew.

Turning away, I felt I had seen enough of their foreplay. Had I known that Aqua was a traitor, I would have at least tried to talk her up for a one-night thing so I wouldn't have her boss rubbing it in my fucking face that he's getting tail.

"Don't forget that meeting you have later." Cid cleared his throat, and I heard some shuffling from behind. Oh, was their tryst over already?

When Cid came around, he continued speaking to her, but he looked me dead in the eye all the while. Did he feel threatened? That whole thing was an act of dominance for sure. Pin anyone to a table and humiliate them in front of another—either an exhibitionist or an ego maniac. Or both. It was almost like a message to me—_She's mine. Off-limits. _If that was the case, then he couldn't have been more wrong. Like hell I would be interested in such a…beast. I just didn't like her. She reeked of lies—full of it.

Even after Cid left, Aqua was still at the table, with hands gripping the edge just as she did moments ago. Turning to me, I saw the rose on her cheeks, but her expression didn't suit it. "Come on. We have to run your tests. Stand up, Subject 344."

"Did I interrupt an almost fuck session? I mean, it wasn't as if I was there from the beginning or anything." I shrugged, and hopped off of the slab of ivory. "So _that's _Cid. Boy, can you pick 'em."

"We do not have that kind of relation, despite what you may think." Aqua huffed, eyes down, and her thumb rubbed her nail. For some reason, it made me think she was nervous. Her lips moved, like she was speaking to herself. What a fuckin' weirdo.

"Sure thing. Like I didn't witness you two dry-fucking back there—Hey, aren't you supposed to take me somewhere? I'm getting bored." I really was. I never was one to stay in one place for long.

Bright azures rolled grandiosely at me in a mock fashion. She was every bit as weird as she was a bitch. Talk about moody. It was then that she got something from her pocket, and it looked like a saber; but when she pushed a switch, it extended to a pole, and there was a light _buzz _that it emitted. "Standard method of "persuasion" for a subject-but it's far from the only one". The woman announced. "Careful—it's high voltage. Maybe even enough to wipe a few memories clean."

"Then can you please do me a favor and zap away that grinding session you had? If you can, fry it until its ashes are fried. Do this, and I might offer you something your _master _can't." Normally, I wouldn't judge, but I wasn't in a normal situation by any means. So, if mind-fucking was a common practice, then I had better get some practice. "Seriously, what's with you and him? Why are you messing with him, given who you are and—"

"You don't know me, Subject three-fourty-four." When she whipped back, Aqua nearly struck me with her weapon. "Nor do you know anything about me. Hold your tongue while you still can. That flesh will rot away soon enough."

"At least I have the dignity to not whore with my enemy and throw my people under the bus." For a sec, Aqua froze. I should have seen it coming, but my pride got the best of me. A pole swung and slammed against my jaws—it was enough to make me lose my balance and crash to the ground. The shock kept me in place, though my rage wanted me to bust out of that electric paralysis.

"You're just a walking corpse. Your words mean _nothing _to me."

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Exams + getting a full-time job = busy! Plus, this chapter was very tricky to write, but thanks to MarjorieFranklin, I was finally able to put this one up on the site! As always, any questions, you can PM/comment and reviews/favorites/& follows are very much appreciated! As for the next chapter, MarjorieFranklin will be writing the next chapter in Aqua's perspective, so stay tuned!

-Silas


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